Tiger Woods has been accused of ‘unlawfully hijacking’ the logo of his clothing brand Sun Day Red.
US company Tigeraire, which designs air-conditioned helmets for athletes and fans for industrial workers, has filed an appeal with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Both logos represent the shape of a tiger and have a very similar resemblance. Sun Day Red’s features 15 lines in tribute to the number of major titles Woods has won in his illustrious career.
“The actions of SDR, TaylorMade and Tiger Woods blatantly ignore Tigeraire’s long-standing protected mark, brand and identity, violate federal and state intellectual property laws and ignore the consumer confusion their actions cause. SDR’s application must be dismissed,” the court said.
Woods and Sun Day Red now have 40 days to respond, but this means his trademark application has been put on hold, although this is not expected to affect production.
US company Tigeraire has accused Tiger Woods of ‘hijacking’ his brand’s logo
Sun Day Red launched in May after Woods’ historic $500 million 27-year partnership with Nike ended.
But it was immediately met with ire from fans due to its exorbitant price tags and lack of reach.
In addition to polo shirts, which range from $115 to $150, the brand also sells hoodies for $200, shorts for $135, pants for $165 and hats for $50.
It gets its name from the fact that Woods always wears red on Sundays, the last day of tournaments.
TaylorMade Golf, which launched Sun Day Red with Woods, told CNBC in response to the lawsuit: “We have full confidence in the securitization of our trademarks.”
Both logos in question represent the shape of a tiger and bear a very similar resemblance
Earlier this month, Woods was criticized for his “disgusting and unacceptable” decision to meet LIV Golf’s Saudi supporters in New York City – just a day before the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
The 48-year-old also revealed that he had undergone surgery for a nerve compression in his lower back.
Woods has dealt with extensive injury issues in recent years, as he was involved in a serious car accident in 2021 that broke his right leg and ankle and required emergency surgery.
He has played just six rounds since launching Sun Day Red, missing the cut at the USPGA, US Open and Open Championship.