EA may be cool with Tiger Woods using that five wood to knock his balls into every patch of grass he can, but there's one thing it can't put up with forever: a loser. Speaking at the Reuters Global Media Summit, EA CEO John Riccitiello said that what he was expressing wasn't a "threat" against Woods, but that the company has the athlete's name on the game because of his standing in the sport.
Riccitiello explained the company has no plans to drop Woods, but it's a business relationship based on the publisher and the athlete bringing their "best." He expressed, "Both of those things need to be true in the long run for the partnership to make sense."
Riccitiello says the company is willing to give Woods the opportunity to turn it around "for a period of time," even as other corporations have walked off the green. The executive now keeps a standard alarm clock and a "Tiger Woods patience timer" by his bedside.
Reader Comments (32)
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 6:42PM xJimmeh said
LOVING the display pic.
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 6:47PM Hoops said
Eh, I think EA is going about this all wrong. Think about if you changed Tiger Woods up into the Tiger Woods experience. You have him playing golf by day and hooking up, battling Elin with golf clubs by night. Hell of a lot more entertaining than just tacking on Frisbee golf.
I kid of course, Firsbee golf is fantastic.
I kid of course, Firsbee golf is fantastic.
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 6:49PM Kinney said
Ironic, since John Madden is retired and hasn't coached or called a game in years. Sounds to me like they're laying the tracks to drop Tiger.
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 8:10PM Spartan117458 said
@Kinney
The difference is that until Madden 10, John Madden did commentary for every game, he was heavily involved in the game, and is a living legend in football. Tiger only signed a deal to put his name on the box of his game, and is hardly what you'd call a legend. Great golf player, but not legendary.
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The difference is that until Madden 10, John Madden did commentary for every game, he was heavily involved in the game, and is a living legend in football. Tiger only signed a deal to put his name on the box of his game, and is hardly what you'd call a legend. Great golf player, but not legendary.
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 8:38PM rowd149 said
@Spartan117458 No, Tiger was DEFINITELY a legend. His reputation's been dragged through the mud (maybe rightfully so, but the degree to which it was, IMO, wasn't justified), but the fact remains that he's still one of the most prolific players the sport's ever seen.
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Posted: Dec 1st 2010 8:41PM i77ogical said
@Spartan117458
I'm no Tiger Woods fan, but you have it backwards.
Based on his tournament wins and stats, Woods is a legendary golfer--even if he quit today. He is one of the top golfers to have ever played.
Madden is not considered one of the top-ever coaches of the NFL. He is a respected coach, having coached a Superbowl team, and he's a hall of famer--but he's well known more for his out-there commentating style, and Madden football.
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I'm no Tiger Woods fan, but you have it backwards.
Based on his tournament wins and stats, Woods is a legendary golfer--even if he quit today. He is one of the top golfers to have ever played.
Madden is not considered one of the top-ever coaches of the NFL. He is a respected coach, having coached a Superbowl team, and he's a hall of famer--but he's well known more for his out-there commentating style, and Madden football.
Posted: Dec 2nd 2010 2:34AM Misfit Toy said
@i77ogical
Ahh John Madden. Always so good at circling things on the football field.
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Ahh John Madden. Always so good at circling things on the football field.
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 6:51PM Hunter141072 said
And very soon we are going to read a message from EA saying:
both parts have decided to split ways but it´s not because tiger is not able to win a single match, nop... it´s because both parties have decided to try different approaches to the audience that buy their products and that vision is not shared by EA and tiger.
Translation: only winners in our boxes.
both parts have decided to split ways but it´s not because tiger is not able to win a single match, nop... it´s because both parties have decided to try different approaches to the audience that buy their products and that vision is not shared by EA and tiger.
Translation: only winners in our boxes.
Posted: Dec 2nd 2010 12:41AM Hunter141072 said
@Fermie Prime
well, i´d looooove to see which replacement EA has.....i don´t know a god damn thing about golf but i do know that tiger woods has something to do wit it.....who else can you use that everybody knows? and let´s face it, this has less to do with his "tiger" with golf and more with his "wood" with the ladies.....
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well, i´d looooove to see which replacement EA has.....i don´t know a god damn thing about golf but i do know that tiger woods has something to do wit it.....who else can you use that everybody knows? and let´s face it, this has less to do with his "tiger" with golf and more with his "wood" with the ladies.....
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 6:52PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said
Haha.
I glanced at the headline and thought it read:
"EA talks Tiger deal, wants him to start swinging."
I glanced at the headline and thought it read:
"EA talks Tiger deal, wants him to start swinging."
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 6:53PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said
@Ezio Auditore da Firenze
Also..
"Phil Mickelson PGA Tour 2012."
Enough said.
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Also..
"Phil Mickelson PGA Tour 2012."
Enough said.
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 8:02PM Fermie Prime said
@Ezio Auditore da Firenze
"Bubba Watson PGA Tour 2012"
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"Bubba Watson PGA Tour 2012"
Posted: Dec 2nd 2010 1:06PM Dustin F said
@Ezio Auditore da Firenze
To be honest, I bet if Tiger went back to his womanizing ways he would get his game mojo back.
He's no longer married, right? It's weird that he now is in sex addiction therapy when he's an extremely wealthy and famous bachelor, but had no problem screwing around when he was married. That's a very inconvenient plan he's got.
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To be honest, I bet if Tiger went back to his womanizing ways he would get his game mojo back.
He's no longer married, right? It's weird that he now is in sex addiction therapy when he's an extremely wealthy and famous bachelor, but had no problem screwing around when he was married. That's a very inconvenient plan he's got.
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 6:58PM evilkoala said
Best. Opening. Line. EVER.
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 7:07PM Elmoogle said
@evilkoala
That is exactly why I read Joystiq over any other game news site.
This situation really shows why it's sort of silly to name a sports game after a particular player. It's a weird inconstancy in the EA sports brand anyway. Would make a lot more sense to me if they simply called it PGA Tour 20XX.
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That is exactly why I read Joystiq over any other game news site.
This situation really shows why it's sort of silly to name a sports game after a particular player. It's a weird inconstancy in the EA sports brand anyway. Would make a lot more sense to me if they simply called it PGA Tour 20XX.
Posted: Dec 2nd 2010 1:08PM Dustin F said
@Elmoogle
"Would make a lot more sense to me if they simply called it PGA Tour 20XX. "
It wouldn't sell as well. Even if the game was better, people buy games that have a face. They like brands with some kind of personality.
I bet Tiger Woods's exploits didn't hurt sales for a while, which is the real reason EA stuck with him for a while. Now that he's no longer excellent... they don't need him.
Madden's greatness was not entirely related to performance, but Tiger's largely is. He's got almost no real personality and a lot of people would call him much worse. He's got to be a great player to be great.
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"Would make a lot more sense to me if they simply called it PGA Tour 20XX. "
It wouldn't sell as well. Even if the game was better, people buy games that have a face. They like brands with some kind of personality.
I bet Tiger Woods's exploits didn't hurt sales for a while, which is the real reason EA stuck with him for a while. Now that he's no longer excellent... they don't need him.
Madden's greatness was not entirely related to performance, but Tiger's largely is. He's got almost no real personality and a lot of people would call him much worse. He's got to be a great player to be great.
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 7:02PM bargaingamer said
seriously tiger the biggest name in golf ...who are they going to get to replace him??
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 7:08PM TheDarkWayne said
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 7:21PM hdhrant said
From the article: "Riccitiello explained the company has no plans to drop Woods, but it's a business relationship based on the publisher and the athlete bringing their 'best.' He expressed, 'Both of those things need to be true in the long run for the partnership to make sense.'"
How great would that be if, in the unfortunate event that Tiger starts winning again, as soon as the contract naturally expires, Tiger holds a press conference announcing that the latest version of the game is total crap so people shouldn't waste their money on it, and he's going somewhere else.
How great would that be if, in the unfortunate event that Tiger starts winning again, as soon as the contract naturally expires, Tiger holds a press conference announcing that the latest version of the game is total crap so people shouldn't waste their money on it, and he's going somewhere else.
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 7:31PM dirt junkie said
Lee Westood FTW!
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 7:35PM Vault Boy said
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 8:01PM EDZiLLUH said
Tiger gotta stop being a Chettah & step his game up
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 8:09PM cactus taters said
So EA doesn't want to "double down on yesterday" with Harmonix, but it's different to keep an athlete who hasn't been taken seriously in over a year?
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 8:18PM therandomizer said
Would rather play Lee Carvello's Putting Challenge
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 10:14PM Panicing said
If only EAs games were as great as Tiger Woods.
Posted: Dec 1st 2010 11:20PM FiXxXeRJL said
There is a lesson to be learned here kiddies. If your gonna be a winner, you better win all the time. Otherwise no one will love you anymore.
Posted: Dec 2nd 2010 1:35PM Dustin F said
@FiXxXeRJL
the real lesson is that when you're winning, you have to do more than just win and be an empty or fake persona. You have to build fame with some kind of personality and appeal, or your fame will collapse easily.
Life isn't fair that way. Tiger's always been pretty dull and weird and difficult to identify with, but also an amazing performer.
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the real lesson is that when you're winning, you have to do more than just win and be an empty or fake persona. You have to build fame with some kind of personality and appeal, or your fame will collapse easily.
Life isn't fair that way. Tiger's always been pretty dull and weird and difficult to identify with, but also an amazing performer.
Posted: Dec 2nd 2010 2:42AM LowKeyyyy said
well, if all else fails EA could just make that Tiger Woods video game in South park. I'd buy that thing day one.






