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Tiger Woods has lost his title as the world’s No.1 golfer and while EA has no immediate plans to partner with other golfers, the publisher has said that failure to regain his position as the world’s best could affect the relationship in the longterm.
“We’re with him because he has the promise of being the world’s best golfer,” EA chief executive John Riccitiello told Reuters.
“We have no plans to move away from him, but it’s a business relationship on the basis of we make the best golf game and he’s the best golfer,” he added. “Both of those things need to be true in the long run for the partnership to make sense.”
Riccitiello concluded: “He sort of stuck with us for a very long time and we made great business together, and we’re willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for a period of time.”
EA Sports wants to be associated with the world’s best athletes, so any sustained period away from the No.1 spot will make it difficult for EA to stick with the troubled star.
However, in recent years Tiger Woods has become entrenched in the PGA Tour video games, so much so that any change would be difficult. There’s also the issue finding a golfer of similar fame to Woods. EA put rising star Rory McIlroy on the cover of this year’s game alongside Woods, but he’ll need to begin winning major championships if he is to reach anything near Woods’ fame.
