Report: Gatorade drops 'Tiger Focus' drink
Gatorade pulled the plug on its "Tiger Focus" drink, but the company said the decision was made before Woods was engulfed in scandal after a car accident outside his Orlando home on Nov. 27 and the ensuing allegations of his extramarital affairs, according to CNBC.
Gatorade officials provided a statement to CNBC which says: “We decided several months ago to discontinue Gatorade Tiger Focus along with some other products to make room for our planned series of innovative products in 2010. We hope to share more about our 2010 plans soon.”
The drink, which Woods was fond of drinking during his media conferences, contained an ingredient said to reduce stress, and the label included an image of Woods's eyes. Although a skeptic would suggest that Gatorade's decision was based on recent events ("Tiger focus" has all sorts of meanings now), CNBC found proof that the decision was made before Woods's accident.
Industry trade Beverage Digest actually reported the discontinuation of the Gatorade Tiger Focus line on Nov. 25, two days before the accident occurred.
To date, none of Woods's sponsors (including Nike, AT&T, Gillette, Accenture and Gatorade parent Pepsi) have severed ties with him over his recent scandal. Woods had lost Buick and American Express as sponsors in the past two years, long before any of his recent problems.
