Tiger Woods does not have a brand that will be able to withstand long lists of cocktail waitresses and "sex addicted cougars" (according to the New York Post), even if the media is exaggerating in their descriptions. The truth is that as great of a golfer as Tiger Woods might be, it could be the women of Tiger Woods who cost him a substantial piece of his fortune.
I spoke recently about how Saturday Night Live went over the line by making light of the alleged domestic violence between Tiger and his wife, Elin Nordegren. While I stand by that perspective (we would never excuse Tiger for trying to whack his wife in the head with a golf club), the truth is that there are broader implications for the fact that the list of Tiger Woods women just happens to be longer than the Dead Sea Scrolls. Whether Tiger likes it or not, the truth is that there are thousands of women across America who are cheering for Elin's decision to chase her husband with a deadly weapon. This has huge implications for Tiger's ability to sell products to American families, where women are the primary decision-makers in household consumption.
There is also the issue of venereal disease. When a man appears to have a jump off in every major city in the United States, he risks bringing home "gifts" to his wife that she didn't plan on receiving. In some ways, these guys might be compared to the cockroach who eats poisonous pesticide and then brings the poison back to the nest. I am not here to say that Tiger Woods has brought anything home to his wife, but VD is always a factor when a man has random flings with random women who hang out in seedy establishments, "serving" one client after another. Tiger wasn't messing around with attorneys, doctors and church girls (although they can be just as sneaky, I'm sure); he was spending his "quality time" with other types of "professional women." One of the women, Holly Samson, was even a porn star. Again, this doesn't look good for Tiger, his brand or his family.
My estimate is that Tiger Woods' women are going to be too much for his corporate sponsors. Tiger spent years proving that he is different from the rest of us. He made us believe that his incredible focus on the golf course expanded into every area of his personal life. We all concluded that the "Killer Tiger Woods," the one who murdered opponents without remorse, was just a mild idiosyncrasy that Tiger kept in the cage. Instead, sponsors and the public are seeing that on the other side of the focused and disciplined Woods, there lies an extraordinarily deviant Tiger, one who may be finding unhealthy ways to release all the stress that piles up from carefully analyzing every inch of every move he makes in the public eye. I once admired Tiger Woods. Now I feel sorry for him. Woods is still worthy of respect, but his dirty laundry is changing his entire public image in the blink of an eye. For a guy who earns 80 - 90 percent of his income from having a great public image, these shifts in public perception can beat down his bank account.
We all know that Tiger Woods, in spite of his women, will continue to make money. Also, as the greatest golfer in the history of the world, he is going to continue to get corporate sponsorships. But Tiger Woods' women are going to cost him at least $100 million in long-term deals, because a known womanizer can't sell products to women. Yes Tiger, whether you like it or not, a large percentage of American females now hate your guts. That's going to cost you some serious dough.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 

Comments: (26)
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By: jaypee on 12/09/2009 3:44PM
What, in heavens name, is Tiger worthy of respect for????
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By: Mike on 12/08/2009 1:45PM
Well 1 billion - `100 million = 900 million, which is still mighty fine. It looks like a win win to me. Besides, are you folks out there unaware of the US divorce rate? You nuts love one minute and want to kill the next. Stop kidding your schizophrenic asses.
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By: BETTYEJ on 12/08/2009 3:03PM
This to me is not about Tiger Wood's being a cheater, because there are many of them out there who haven't been caught and will keep on doing it, males and females. As far as the money is concern, that to does not concern me either, because to pay these so called sports stars this much money is stupid in the first place.
Our country is being destroyed by War's that we had no business getting in period. People like Rush/Sarah Palin/Hannity/Oreily/Beck and various members of the Democrat's and Republican party that if you put all of their brains together in a thimble, there would still be room for the liars and cheaters of the world.
Let's keep it real folks, spend your hard earn dollars on buying things made in the USA and your time making sure your children and family are getting the education that they need.
These SHADY people don't need our money or time to make them a HERO, because they are not WORTHY.
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By: Queen on 12/10/2009 2:42PM
I agree Bettyej. I feel this is another distraction to devert all attention from the war. I could careless who is cheating on whom. In case most people weren't aware, Elin was not interested in Tiger Woods she had to be talked into even going out with him. But when you have money you can get any silly women you want.
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By: Ross Swank on 12/13/2009 3:13PM
Everyone should boycott the corporate sponsors whose money goes to Tiger to pay his inner circle hush money. Do something good Tiger, donate $500 millon to the cure for Aids and cancer. If money isn't everything, then do something good with yours instead of paying hookers!!!!! ROSS
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By: brenda k greene on 12/08/2009 7:24PM
I don;t feel sorry for his ass at all.I hope these women saok his ass dry, this is what happen when you think you are above the rest of the ppl. maybe he should have been ivolved with a black women I think he would have got off a little cheaper. he was really looking for gold diggers when he was messing around with the white women. a black women would have give his ass a break and got what she could get and left the shit alone. and would have lied saying it wasn't her.
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By: berlinqueenb on 12/08/2009 7:59PM
Why do you think Tiger is worthy of respect? Here is a man that does not even own up to being black. I recall him telling Oprah that he is colasian, never owning up to the black in him. So therefore I don't feel sorry for him, he can like what he likes but look what he got. I say good for him and he'd better not coming home now, and furthermore we are not colored anymore we are African Americans
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By: Jeannette on 12/08/2009 9:20PM
I do not feel sorry for Tiger. He has always been so arrogant. He does not have a marriage, he has an arraingement, that he is paying very well for.
Yep, no tears for Tiger, he got what he wanted, and he always will.
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By: MissTameca on 12/08/2009 9:35PM
I'm not mad @ Tiger @ all, I personally feel the media is stoking this fire. Tiger is not the 1st nor will he be the last 2 cheat,& b/c his wife came after him w/ a weapon doesn't make this special either, it has been & will be continuing for years w/ celebrities & average joes. Leave this man alone.
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By: Imnotoffended on 12/09/2009 2:18AM
I disagree that Black women are the primary people upset by Tiger's indiscretion. Since Tiger has not claimed he is black and has a white wife, I hear more issues coming from distraught, white women with the "How dare he, cheat on us, mentality..." I live around a bunch of pretty, petite, white women married to athletes in Scottsdale, AZ.
As a Black woman, I don't take his indiscretions personally as he first 'cheated' on us when he married his current wife. So,my opinion - his current indiscretions are not against black women.
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