LIV Golf players Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia will no longer be sponsored by Adidas, per an ESPN report (opens in new tab).
In Johnson case, it appears the decision to break from the company he has been associated with since 2007 was his as he intends to grow the franchise for the 4 Aces GC team he captains by freeing up space for logos on his shirt.
A source told ESPN: “As good as the relationship with Adidas has been, it just didn’t fit in his plans. A major part of starting a team is establishing a brand identity and building that brand. The primary asset is the shirt. They want the entire shirt. DJ needed a clean break to start his team. He’s grateful to Adidas for letting him out of the deal.”
Adidas Golf president Jeff Lienhart explained the decision in a statement to ESPN, confirming the split was amicable. He said: “We’ve mutually agreed to part ways with long-time Adidas athlete, Dustin Johnson. For more than 15 years, Dustin has been a great ambassador for the Adidas brand. We’ve had a front-row seat to see him win multiple Major championships, ascend to the No. 1 ranking and cement himself as one of the best golfers in history — all while wearing the 3-Stripes. We wish Dustin nothing but success moving forward.”
One of the most prominent aspects of the pending LIV Golf League season is the introduction of a franchise model for its 12 teams, where the team captain has equity in it and can build the franchise to gain the greatest fan followings and sponsor interest.
Johnson is in prime position to capitalise on any interest given his team’s dominance in last year’s inaugural season, where 4 Aces won the season-closing Team Championship.
Less detail was available on the reason for the company and Garcia – who is captain of the Fireballs GC team – severing their ties, but an Adidas spokesperson confirmed to ESPN that the company has chosen not to renew his deal. Garcia’s association with Adidas goes back even longer, over 20 years. The news comes shortly after his deal with TaylorMade also came to an end.
The new LIV Golf season begins on Friday at El Camaleon Golf Club in Mexico.
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