Associated Press
Wednesday, April 11

NEW YORK – Walt Disney Co. plans to announce that it has signed Tiger Woods as a spokesman for the company, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

The value of the deal is not yet known, but Woods has commanded as much as $20 million a year for a sponsorship deal with Nike Inc.

A spokesman said Disney had no comment on the report. Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg at IMG, also said he would have no comment on the report.

The deal with Disney would make Woods, who has won four straight major tournaments, one of the most prominent endorsers in professional sports.

Woods earned $54 million last year from a dozen endorsement deals, according to Burns Sports Celebrity Service in Chicago. That surpasses the estimated $45 million that basketball star Michael Jordan made in his best year.

Woods has contracts with General Motors, Rolex, American Express, and General Mills among others.

For Disney, Woods would appear in commercials for the company's theme parks, endorse merchandise and work with ESPN, which is owned by Disney.