I am extremely excited to be joining team TravisMathew. I couldn’t think of a better fit for my personal style.” – Keegan Bradley
In Major League Baseball, this time of the year is often referred to as the Hot Stove League, as high-priced free agents move from team to team and front offices make trades to solidify their line ups and rotations heading into spring training.
A similar dance takes place in the world of golf, as PGA Tour players sign new equipment and apparel deals in late December. While there isn’t an official name for this, at GolfThreads we have coined it the Hot Iron League.
This year’s Hot Iron League has started with a bang. After much social media hype, TravisMathew announced that 2011 PGA Champion and two-time Ryder Cup participant Keegan Bradley has inked a deal to sport the brand’s apparel in 2015.
“We are excited to welcome Keegan Bradley to the TravisMathew family. He is a perfect fit for our brand and exemplifies the TravisMathew culture both on and off the course.” — TravisMathew CEO, Travis Brasher
Here at GolfThreads, we see this as a win/win for Bradley and TravisMathew. With Keegan, the brand fills a two-year void of not having a major champion on its team created by the departure of Bubba Watson at the start of 2013. (BTW, Bubba, you looked much better in TravisMathew.) Sure, Chris Kirk burst on the scene over the last year, and he is a perfect fit for TravisMathew’s laid back style, but he doesn’t move the needle like Keegan Bradley.
Also, TravisMathew has built its brand, and along the way a young, hip following, by effectively using social media and thinking outside the box. Bradley is one of the true social media stars in the game of golf. Remember, he started that whole #Dufnering craze. Oh, and his game isn’t too shabby, either, as he has positioned himself as one of the top American players under the age of 30.
On the flip side, Keegan not only gets some fresh threads for 2015, but he is now hooked up with a brand that puts a priority on golf. Plus, you can bet TravisMathew will promote him, and use him to promote its apparel, in fun and creative ways. Also, by signing an apparel only deal, Bradley can continue to rock those custom Jordans and maintain his equipment deal with Cleveland/Srixon. In fact, the team at TravisMathew seems to have embraced Bradley’s unique kicks as you can see in the images above and the video below.
For more on Keegan Bradley’s move to TravisMathew, check out the brand’s website.