A commercial reevaluation involving the Sydney Swans and five suspended players has commenced, following Isaac Heeney’s exclusion from promotional activities with associated brands. On Thursday morning, bookstores began removing the star’s children’s books from their shelves.
Swans’ suspension of players
The Swans’ decision to suspend five players for violating club protocols after returning late to their hotel following a night of drinking has prompted various brands to distance themselves from the group. This includes Heeney’s own children’s football clinic business, which has eliminated his presence from marketing efforts.
Ongoing investigation
Victoria Police are currently investigating an alleged sexual assault that took place at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne. None of the players suspended for the breach of club standards have been arrested or charged with any crimes.
5th Quarter Camps, a company co-founded by Heeney along with Greater Western Sydney captain Toby Greene, stated it is keeping a close eye on the ongoing investigation. They have already taken measures to separate themselves from Heeney.
“We have removed Isaac’s name and image across active promotional materials, and he has been stood down from our upcoming camps, which will still be running as planned,”
the company announced.
Impact on children’s book series
The children’s book series, Little Isaac Footy Fever, co-authored by Heeney, was also pulled from sale by bookstores Readings and Gleebooks by Thursday morning. Publisher Allen & Unwin has paused its promotion, with plans for a third book on hold until the police investigation concludes.
“We view this matter seriously and believe that the women involved deserve respect and support,”
the publisher emphasized in a statement.
A similar stance has been adopted by Heeney’s toothpaste partner, Colgate. In their statement, they noted,
“We take these matters very seriously and have suspended our partnership with Mr Heeney pending completion of the investigation,”
Telstra, which has connections with Heeney and Chad Warner, expressed concern regarding the situation and stated they would refrain from involving the players in any ambassadorial activities during the ongoing investigation.
“deeply concerned by what’s been reported and respect the matter is currently being investigated by police”
the company’s statement read.
Industry reactions
Britt Prince, founder of the PR and marketing firm Prince Sports & Entertainment, commented that most endorsement agreements contain clauses allowing sponsors to terminate deals if a player tarnishes the brand’s reputation.
“We will review their ambassador arrangements once the investigation is complete and will provide an update at that time,”
she observed.
Prince added,
“I would say absolutely we’ll see contracts being ripped up, though we’ve seen a lot of brands just sit back and wait,”
Heeney, along with fellow suspended players Nick Blakey and Warner, were potential candidates for All Australian selection this year, which usually comes with a bonus for players named. The AFL confirmed that the five suspended players would not be considered.
The five players expressed regret over their conduct in a joint statement released by the Swans on Wednesday evening.
“Telstra’s response was that they will let the legal process play out. Personally, this is just my opinion, but I don’t agree with that. I think that they should be acting with more severity.”
“We are deeply sorry to everyone involved,”
Prince characterized this incident as the most significant sporting scandal in Australia since athletes have become adept at building their personal brands.
“We know that our behaviour has fallen well short of the standards expected of us and the values of our club.”
“If you look back at past scandals, other players like Ben Cousins etcetera, these guys weren’t prolific on social media, they didn’t have the personal brands, the personal endorsements, publicist teams behind them, whereas now, in this day and age, they do,”
She believed that the financial impact on the club’s commercial revenue might not be as severe as expected. Swans chair Andrew Pridham expressed gratitude to corporate partners during a media briefing on Wednesday and acknowledged them again in a letter to fans shared on social media on Thursday.
QBE, a longstanding sponsor of the Swans, issued a statement recognizing the seriousness of the allegations.
“So a player like Heeney, Warner, they have so much more to lose.”
