What will Tiger Woods' arrest mean for his sponsorship deals?

Tiger Woods blames DUI on pain meds
Tiger Woods blames DUI on pain meds

When Tiger Woods gets in trouble, there's a lot on the line.

His Memorial Day arrest on suspicion of DUI doesn't just jeopardize his legacy. It could also tarnish his relationships with a host of big-name sponsors.

Woods has deals with Nike (NKE), Bridgestone (BRDCY) Golf, Rolex, Monster Energy, TaylorMade and UpperDeck. He also represents Full Swing, which makes golf simulators, the Hero World Challenge golf tournament, and Kowa, which makes a back rub he endorses.

A Nike spokesperson said on Tuesday that "there is no change to its relationship" with Woods. Rolex, Monster and Bridgestone have declined to comment. His other sponsors have not responded to requests for comment from CNNMoney.

Woods quickly took responsibility after the arrest, which he blamed on an unexpected reaction to prescription medication. "I understand the severity of what I did and I take full responsibility for my actions," he said in a statement.

The latest trouble comes as Woods is struggling to add to his legacy on the course, hurting his future marketability. He hasn't won a major tournament since 2008, and his recent playing career has been plagued by injuries.

Woods is recovering from a back surgery last month and has had surgery four times since 2014. He hasn't played since February, when he was forced to pull out of the Dubai Desert Classic.

While it's unclear how much the endorsements are worth annually, Forbes estimated last year that Woods was worth $740 million.

Related: Bill Cosby, Jared Fogle and other pitchmen gone bad

Nike is by far Woods' biggest brand, and this isn't the first time it's stuck with him amid controversy.

In 2009, Woods crashed his SUV outside his home after an altercation with his wife. He later admitted having been unfaithful to her repeatedly.

Gatorade, AT&T (T), Accenture and Tag Heuer all dropped Woods, but Nike stayed. In 2013, the company even released an ad campaign promoting his attempted comeback, with the slogan: "Winning takes care of everything."

True to that tagline, Nike tends to outlast other companies in remaining loyal to athletes embroiled in scandal.

It stayed with Kobe Bryant after he was charged with sexual assault in 2003. The charges were later dropped.

When Michael Vick was convicted of dog fighting in 2007, Nike dropped him at first. But it signed him again less than five years later, saying he had "acknowledged his past mistakes."

Nike did the same with Maria Sharapova last year when she failed a drug test at the Australian Open. The company suspended the partnership but ultimately stood by her after an investigation by tennis authorities found she didn't intentionally break the rules.

Some transgressions have been too much for Nike, though. It dropped Adrian Peterson and Ray Rice over domestic violence, Lance Armstrong for doping and Manny Pacquiao when he made anti-gay comments. Nike parted ways with Oscar Pistorius before he was convicted of murdering his girlfriend.

CNNMoney's Danielle Wiener-Bronner contributed to this report.

Personal Finance

CNNMoney Sponsors