Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red Hits Legal Issues in New Suit with PUMA

When Tiger Woods launched Sun Day Red (SDR)—which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TaylorMade—back in late 2023, you would’ve imagined that the legal team dotted the I’s and crossed the T’s. That, however, doesn’t seem to be the case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Sun Day Red (@sundayred)

In the small period of time that SDR has been selling its various apparel and accessory pieces, it has been met with two—potentially fatal—legal challenges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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In late 2024, Tigeraire— a Louisiana company that manufactures cooling products—contacted SDR to notify it of the (alleged) infringement of Tigeraire’s long-established registered mark of a striped, leaping tiger.

The parties were unable to reach an arrangement, and courtroom fireworks quickly followed; SDR commenced an action in California federal court, and Tigeraire commenced an action in Louisiana federal court, in addition to filing an opposition to SDR’s application to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by PUMA Golf (@pumagolf)

Shortly thereafter, PUMA—who has been using a similar, leaping cat logo since 1969—raised its own dispute against SDR before the USPTO, also arguing that SDR’s trademark application be denied because the logo is, likewise, too similar in appearance.

A trademark attorney commented on PUMA’s challenge, which could go to trial during the fall of 2026, stating:

“I think Puma has a legitimate case.”

Notably, when SDR debuted the 15-stripe tiger—with each stripe representing Tiger’s 15 Major victories—it was met with widespread repudiation. If you were scrolling through social media comments, it felt like nobody liked it. And given the growing number of attacks against SDR, it seems that finding a new Tiger logo may be in the brand’s best interest.

The obvious dilemma here is that changing the SDR logo does nothing for the countless apparel and accessory pieces that feature the current SDR logo (along with the hundreds of thousands of dollars in marketing and manufacturing that would be scuttled).

But in the event that the SDR logo is forced to change, now is perhaps the perfect time to scoop up some SDR “investment” gear to wheel and deal on eBay.

Cover Image via USA Today