The Tiger Woods scandal may be the biggest off-the-field sports story of the last decade. With sponsors like AT&T and Accenture dropping Woods -- and with companies like Gatorade severely cutting back on ads featuring the golfer -- people have wondered where EA Sports stands on Tiger's infidelities, since he's the face of the publisher's golf franchise, Tiger Woods PGA Tour.
In a post yesterday on Peter Moore's EA.com blog, the president of EA Sports announced that the company will continue with this month's launch of the open beta for Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online, a browser-based version of the annual console series, which has been in development for the past year. And while Moore acknowledged the scandal, he said that Woods "is still one of the greatest athletes in history." However, Moore made no mention of what will become of Tiger Woods PGA Tour, only saying that Woods will continue to be on "the masthead of this game [PGA Tour Online]."
As for Tiger Woods PGA Tour itself, it looks like EA has three options at this point. They could replace Woods with another golfer, but that's highly unlikely -- there isn't a name in golf that's anywhere near as recognizable as Tiger's. EA could also simply remove Woods' name from the series and rebrand it, maybe to something like "PGA Tour 11." Or, they may even skip this year's title, perhaps to move the series to a bi-yearly frequency (like Fight Night) or just to take a year off.
What do you guys expect will happen?
EA SPORTS Moves Forward with Tiger Woods PGA TOUR Online Launch in January [Peter Moore's Blog]
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Contest:
8:00 AM on 01.05.2010 | 
Honestly I think things will go as planned and EA will just suck up all the jokes. Maybe they'll downplay it a bit on the box like make the text that says "Tiger Woods" smaller or have Tiger Woods mixed in a nice collage of other featured golfers so he's not the center of attention.
What’s going to happen? Absolutely nothing. Accenture and AT&T dropped Woods because he was being used as a paragon of dependability, but with character issues, he could no longer be used as an example. Any company that uses Woods to sell golf products would be insane to cut ties with the most recognized golfer possibly ever. There is no other current golfer you could use to get the attention of Joe Walmart and the PGA itself doesn’t have the same appeal as the other sports leagues in name either.
Or you could bring back the Lee Carvallo series…
I always wondered why they don't just update the back catalogs rosters. They can still release new games annually but for people who might prefer older versions or whatever throw them a little bone. Even if they charge for it.
Select Up Down In Out In Out In Out In Out Up Down .
Oh nay nay...
The women will be on the masthead, And TIGER will be on the Box!
Thats a vagina joke for those that are too young.
9 months getting out, and your whole life trying to get back in...
That alone is why EA is keeping him. Gatorade is wholesome/squeaky clean family bullshit. Doesn't Gatorade still back Kobe after the Colorado garbage? Yeah, Tiger will be fine.
I can already see the failure that is Jay Leno/Jimmy Kimmels of the world now:
"Didja hear this? Yeah, turns out EA is releasing a new Tiger woods golf game. Thing is, this version only comes with 10 holes" *pause for applause sign*
*holds up box of TW:PGA'10*
"Oh, the ten isn't for the year 2010, its for each of his mistresses!" *pause for rimshot, applause sign, forced laughter*
I Hate Leno.