Nike to Cut $2 Billion in Costs Over 3 Years - Ends Tiger Woods Partnership After 27 Years - Could Cuts in Football Follow?
- Cost Cutting: Nike aims to cut $2 billion in costs over the next 3 years, partly through workforce reductions.
- End of Partnership: Nike has ended its 27-year partnership with Tiger Woods as part of its cost-cutting measures.
- Football Concerns: Nike's future involvement in men's football is uncertain, with potential further contract terminations.
Update: Confirming the previous rumors, Nike has announced the end of its Tiger Woods partnership after 27 years. This is part of the company's strategy to cut costs by $2 billion over the next 3 years. It remains to be seen if famous football clubs or players will follow. Indeed, Nike has already lost dozens of players and other contracts in the past few years, including Neymar, Grealish, Portugal (from 2025) and the Premier League (from 2025).
Indeed, a possibility for Nike to save more costs would be the early termination of football club contracts, such as the FC Barcelona contract. It would cost Nike money in the short-term but free them up of costs in the long term (which is often liked by stock markets).
Recently, Nike announced that it plans to cut more costs in the future by saving $2 billion over the next 3 years, according to The Oregonian.
The plan to save $2 billion over the next three years is part of an effort to regain lost momentum and spark Nike's sleepy innovation engine.
Nike Only Grew 1%, Shares Fall 10%
According to the report, Nike expects to incur as much as $450 million in restructuring charges in the quarter that ends 28 February, mostly for severance costs, suggesting that Oregon's largest company is in the process of parting ways with a significant number of employees.
To put that cost in perspective, Nike predicted it would incur between $200 million and $250 million in severance costs in 2020 when it eliminated 700 jobs.
With the aim of reducing costs in the coming years, it is understandable that Nike has terminated contracts with many major tournaments, major clubs and major players in 2023.
Recently, Barcelona are said to be unhappy with Nike, despite being one, if not the top-payed club in the world. Puma is said to be making every effort to replace Nike - however, Footy Headlines do not think Puma would/could pay as much as Nike.
At present, Nike executives have not given specific information about the $2 billion savings plan, but they have said the company can do it in any way, from streamlining the organizational chart to reducing the number of products and eliminating layers of management.
Nike may even end its contract with golf legend Tiger Woods in a bid to cut costs over the next three years. Tiger Woods has been signed to Nike since 1996 and has had a partnership with Nike for nearly 30 years. His current contract with Nike expires at the end of this year. We’ll see if Woods will be wearing the Swoosh in 2024.
According to its latest report on 30 November, Nike also lowered its sales forecast for the fiscal year ending 31 May to around 1% growth. Shares were down around 10% in after-hours trading within an hour of the earnings report.
Based on financial reports, analysts have pointed out that Nike's product pipeline is declining and that it is losing market share in running, its legacy category.
On the earnings call, Donahoe said the cost-cutting will enable Nike to invest more in innovation and other growing areas of the company, such as its women’s category, the Jordan brand and running.
Donahoe added that Nike is returning to its "front foot" with early momentum in trail running and basketball.
What do you think about Nike's current situation? Do you think Nike will have even fewer top teams and players in the future? Comment below.
Vintage Football Shirts
from Cult Kits
2012 Great Britain Adidas Olympics Training Polo (XL)
2012/14 Wigan Mi-Fit Polo Shirt (S)
2000/01 Everton Gerrard #1 GK Shirt (M) Puma
2012/13 Burnley (Ian Woan) *Staff Issue* Puma Training Polo (M)
Bad Tackle – Tote Bag
2009/10 Juventus Buffon #1 *BNWT with Defects* GK Shirt (XL) Nike
2017 Bayern Munich Track Jacket (XXL) Adidas
1994 USA 94 *BNWT* World Cup Cap Twins
2014/15 PSG Cavani #9 C/L *Player Issue* Away Shirt (S) Nike
2019/20 AC Milan *BNWT* Casuals Crew Jumper Sweater (Multiple Sizes) Puma
Awful? Adidas Launches Women's 'Reconstructed Bringback' 1994 Kits
Adidas has officially introduced a unique new lifestyle range with the launch of its 'Reconstructed Bringback' collection. Focused heavily on women's fashion, this latest release takes two iconic international football shirt designs from the 1990s and transforms them into modern, streetwear-ready silhouettes.
For this drop, the sportswear brand has completely reimagined the highly memorable 1994 kits worn by the national teams of Germany and Spain, adapting the classic patterns into entirely new apparel formats.
The Spain entry in the collection offers a significant structural departure from a standard football jersey, arriving as an asymmetrical, one-shoulder top. The garment maintains the classic red base of the original 1994 home shirt, complete with the instantly recognizable column of navy blue and yellow interlocking diamonds running down the right side.
For the German national team, Adidas has transformed the legendary 1994 World Cup home kit into a fitted, square-neck tank top. The classic DFB crest and retro Adidas branding are positioned lower down on the torso.
What do you think of these reconstructed 1994 fashion tops for Germany and Spain? Let us know in the comments below.
Derbystar Austrian Bundesliga 26-27 Match Ball Revealed
The Austrian ADMIRAL Bundesliga and technical partner Derbystar have officially unveiled the new official match ball for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. The new ball already made an early on-pitch debut last weekend during the crucial final round of the current campaign. Starting next season, the new design will be used uniformly across the top-flight ADMIRAL Bundesliga, the 2. Liga, and the Frauen-Bundesliga.
The Derbystar Austrian Bundesliga 26-27 match ball is heavily inspired by the ultimate goal of the domestic season: the championship trophy. Moving away from the vibrant magenta and turquoise of the previous campaign, the 26-27 ball features a classic black-and-white base enhanced by modern graphic applications.
The artwork intricately incorporates depictions of the trophies from all three participating leagues. Crucially, the design pays a special tribute to the iconic gold "Meisterteller" (Champions Plate), specifically celebrating the 50th anniversary of the famous trophy's first-ever presentation to the league winners back in 1977.
In addition to the standard primary match ball, Derbystar has also developed a vibrant High-Visible variant specifically designed for optimal tracking during poor weather or snowy winter conditions.
What do you think of this trophy-inspired black and white design for the new Austrian Bundesliga ball? Let us know in the comments below.
Decathlon Serie C 26-27 Ball Released
Lega Pro and sporting goods retailer Decathlon have officially presented the new Official Match Ball for the upcoming 2026-2027 Serie C season.
The Serie C 2026-2027 match ball boasts a very striking look, "inspired by the concept of energy, reflecting the intense passion and movement that characterizes the third tier of Italian football".
The highly refractive optical white base is decorated with dynamic, futuristic graphics featuring a chromatic texture that fades from cobalt blue to bright red, which is further highlighted by vibrant neon yellow accents.
What are your thoughts on the striking design of the new Decathlon Serie C match ball? Let us know in the comments below.
Adidas Italy 1992 Retro T-Shirt Leaked
We can leak the first images of a new Adidas Italy retro lifestyle t-shirt.
As part of a wider Originals collection aimed at national teams, this new piece brings a strong 1990s aesthetic back to the modern era. The release highlights the German brand's continuing strategy of mining its extensive design archives to create bespoke, off-pitch apparel for its top-tier federations.
The Adidas Italy retro t-shirt features a clean, off-white base color that immediately establishes a classic throwback feel. Drawing direct inspiration from the colors of the Italian national flag, the shirt incorporates striking green, white and red geometric blocks.
Adding heavily to the nostalgic appeal, the chest displays a centralized logo arrangement, featuring a classic Adidas wordmark and Trefoil paired with a faithful recreation of the historic Italian Football Federation crest used throughout the early 1990s.
Other Adidas federations will get the same range in their colors.
Adidas Germany 'Alternate History' 1992 Retro Jacket Leaked
We have the first image of a unique new Adidas Germany retro jacket, showcasing an intriguing new approach from the sportswear brand.
While the design instantly evokes strong nostalgia for the 1990s, this upcoming release is actually an "alternate history" creation. Despite its highly authentic vintage appearance and period-accurate details, this specific track jacket never actually existed in the official Adidas catalogues during the 1990s, making it a brand new addition to their retro-focused lifestyle collection.
To achieve this convincing old-school aesthetic, Adidas has utilized their classic 1992 template as the structural foundation for the design. The garment features a vibrant green base that heavily nods to Germany's traditional away kits of the era. The colors of the German national flag are cleverly completed on the sleeves through large geometric blocks that also recreate the 3 stripes.
The same jacket will also be released for Spain and other Adidas national teams.
Jesse Lingard Wears 'J Lingz' on His Corinthians Kit
Former Manchester United and England midfielder Jesse Lingard yesterday night wore a unique name on the back of his shirt for his current club, Corinthians.
During the Brazilian side's Copa do Brasil clash against Barra FC, Lingard took to the pitch with his popular moniker, 'J Lingz', printed above his squad number. Rather than a permanent vanity choice by the 33-year-old, this unusual kit alteration was part of a coordinated, team-wide initiative where all Corinthians players swapped their traditional names for their recognizable nicknames.
The temporary name changes were implemented as part of a promotional campaign for Brazil's Generic Drug Day, which is officially celebrated on May 20th. Driven by pharmaceutical brand Hypera, the initiative aimed to highlight the importance and reliability of generic medications in public health. By replacing the players' standard names with their nicknames, the club and the sponsor sought to creatively demonstrate that even if the name on the back is different, the player - and by extension, the generic medication - delivers the exact same performance and effect.
Lingard joined the Brazilian giants in March following a stint in South Korea with FC Seoul.
