Sun Day Red and Tigeraire are currently entangled in two separate lawsuits, each initiated by one of the companies, concerning their respective logos.
The legal dispute between Tiger Woods’ apparel brand, Sun Day Red, and the cooling company Tigeraire has intensified after the 15-time Major champion’s company “reluctantly” decided to counter-sue, according to Golf Monthly. Tigeraire, known for selling fans and cooling products, initially filed an opposition notice with the US Patent and Trademark Office in late September. The company accused Sun Day Red of “unlawfully hijacking” its logo for use on apparel and other merchandise.
Both companies’ logos feature minimalist tiger designs, with Woods’ logo incorporating 15 stripes symbolizing each of his Major wins. In an interview on The Today Show with Carson Daly, Woods even joked that he hoped to “ruin” the logo by winning a 16th Major title. However, court filings first reported by CNBC’s Jessica Golden revealed that Tigeraire believes Sun Day Red, which is backed by TaylorMade, infringed on their trademarked logo.
The legal document from Tigeraire states, “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.” Sun Day Red had started the process of trademarking its own logo, but those efforts were paused after news of Tigeraire’s lawsuit surfaced.
TaylorMade, which had 40 days to respond to the lawsuit, told CNBC it has “full confidence in the securitization of our trademarks.” In response, a court filing submitted to the US District Court for the Central District of California on September 27 shows Woods’ legal team not only filed a motion to dismiss Tigeraire’s lawsuit but also decided to “reluctantly” countersue the company.
Sun Day Red’s lawsuit claims that Tigeraire is attempting to extract “an unwarranted financial windfall” from a larger, more successful brand through threats and legal demands. They argue that the apparel company spent “several months” trying to convince Tigeraire of its lack of legal grounds but is now seeking court protection from Tigeraire’s “ongoing interference, threats, and outrageous demands.”
The countersuit includes nearly four pages of evidence under “Nature of the Action,” part of a 75-page document, outlining how Tigeraire allegedly began attending golf tournaments, changed its website to prominently feature golf content, and added apparel to its offerings—all in an effort to create a false sense of overlap between the two brands.
