Tiger Woods’ Golf Brand Accused Of ‘Hijacking’ Another Logo In Lawsuit
Image via Sun Day Red
Tiger Woods might be used to winning on the golf course, but this time, the competition is off the fairway and in the courtroom. The star golfer’s latest venture, Sun Day Red, is at the center of a trademark dispute with Tigeraire, a company that specializes in cooling products for athletes.
Sun Day Red, launched in February 2024, marked the end of Woods’ long-standing 27-year partnership with Nike and brought him into a new collaboration with TaylorMade Golf. The logo of Sun Day Red, a dynamic tiger with 15 stripes representing his major championship wins, is designed to grow with each future victory.
Unfortunately, Tigeraire sees more than just stripes in common between the two brands, claiming Sun Day Red’s design “unlawfully hijacked” its own.
Tigeraire is suing Sun Day Red for logo trademark infringement.
— Orson Rosas Golf (@OrsonRosas) September 28, 2024
What do you guys think? Do they have a case? pic.twitter.com/u5Taqq78AW
Sun Day Red, the apparel and lifestyle brand that launched in February by Tiger Woods and TaylorMade, is in a trademark dispute over its logo with Tigeraire, a company that makes cooling products for athletes. https://t.co/xYFgHV0R2D pic.twitter.com/TZOd0rUHi3
— David Dusek (@Golfweek_Dusek) September 27, 2024
Tigeraire has filed an official notice of opposition with the US Patent and Trademark Office, citing potential confusion for consumers. According to its claim, both logos feature a stylized, leaping tiger over bold, capitalized wordmarks. Tigeraire argues that the similarities are so significant that they infringe on its established identity. “SDR’s [Sun Day Red’s] application should be denied,” reads part of the court filing, where the company accuses Woods, TaylorMade, and Sun Day Red of ignoring intellectual property laws.
A t-shirt from Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red store (left) VS t-shirt from Tigeraire (right). Images via Sun Day Red and Tigeraire
Woods and his team have fired back by filing their own lawsuit, asking the court to rule that Sun Day Red’s logo does not infringe on Tigeraire’s rights.
The high-profile golfer’s legal team seems confident in its case. In a statement to CNBC, TaylorMade Golf expressed that it has “full confidence” in the security of its trademarks.
[via Golf Digest, CNBC, Marketing Interactive, Sports Casting, images via various sources]
