Tiger Woods launched his Sun Day Red apparel brand in conjunction with TaylorMade Golf back in February at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles.
The name Sun Day Red is a clear play on Woods' penchant for wearing red on Sundays on the golf course, and the brand logo is the outline of a Tiger that has 15 stripes -- one for each of the professional major championships Woods has won, with a wink to the remote possibility that there could be another stripe someday.
However, Woods' Sun Day Red brand now faces a huge hurdle as their application for US copyright protection has been disputed.
Tigeraire, a brand which makes cooling products for athletes, has filed a dispute, known as a notice of opposition, to the Sun Day Red trademark filing with the US Patent and Trade Office (USPTO). Tigeraire claims Sun Day Red “unlawfully hijacked” their logo. The resemblance is there.
In the filing, Tigeraire's representation claims, “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 law, and disregard the consumer confusion their actions create. SDR’s application should be denied."
TaylorMade Golf told CNBC, “We have full confidence in the securitization of our trademarks.”
Tigeraire claims to have used its mark for more than four years. The Lousiana-based company claims their logo has been seen in the golf industry at various golf events, including the PGA Merchandise Show trade show in Orlando, as well as promoted by Lousiana State University and alum and pro golfer David Toms. The company claims involvement in the golf industry since the second half of 2023. The company has also sold merchandise with their logo on it since 2021.
Further, the company is claiming damages to their brand identity and bottom line as a result of "brand confusion" between Tigeraire and Sun Day Red, citing several situations, including their sponsorship of the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
The Sun Day Red brand has 40 days to file a response. The two sides could negotiate a separate settlement or agreement, and the notice likely brings the Sun Day Red application to a halt in the meantime. Still, Sun Day Red will continue producing product in the interim.
