Benji Marshall is one of the highest paid players in the National Rugby League. Even without the upgrade to his contract that he wanted, Marshall gets paid more to play for, and represent the Tigers, than 99% of players that play in the NRL.
A component of his contract with not only the Wests Tigers, but the National Rugby League itself, is that he will represent that game and it’s sponsors. You will see Marshall’s image used to promote the game and his club, as well as the sponsors whose money finds it’s way into Marshall’s pocket via his NRL contract.
Imagine you are a sponsor of the Wests Tigers. It has been a very tough season full of bad news. You company has budgeted a very large amount of money for exposure on the Wests Tigers jersey. You have committed to the club and in return you expect the same sort of commitment in return.
Sponsorship after all is a type of investment. You invest money into a club and in return you get exposure that club can provide you with.
Imagine what Wests Tigers sponsors thought when they saw this….
Benji Marshall is currently contracted to the Wests Tigers and the National Rugby League. He has been granted a release from his contract at the end of this season. Until he is a Rugby Union player, he is a Wests Tiger and Rugby League player. Until such time as he is a Rugby Union player, he has responsibilities to the people that pay his wage in 2013.
Benji Marshall is not stupid. He knew what he was doing when he pulled on a Rugby Union jersey that was covered in sponsors that are currently not paying him a cent. He knew the exposure he was giving sponsors and a sport that is not putting a single dollar in his pocket right now.
The National Rugby League and the Wests Tigers have a responsibility to protect the games image and the image of any companies that invest in the sport.
Benji Marshall should be fined for giving exposure to another sport and it’s sponsors while under contract with the Wests Tigers and the National Rugby League.
The Wests Tigers sponsors can’t go in tomorrow and get a partial refund for what Marshall did. The way sponsors will deal with this issue in the future is by simply under paying clubs.
That is why the Wests Tigers and the NRL need to step in. They need to protect Rugby League from having under contract players from undermining the sport.
Benji Marshall will no doubt say it was nothing. He’s smarter than that though. Few players have used their image in the sport to make as much money as Marshall has over the course of his career.
When players show a complete disregard to their obligations towards the sort, all bets are off. Benji Marshall should be heavily fined for undermining the game that is currently paying his salary.
Totally agree. Is that the shirt of the Union team he’s signed for? It’s like he’s laughing in the faces of Wests…who are paying him!
Yep that’s the team he’s signed to play for next year. The one that is currently not paying his salary. The NRL can’t allow this to go unpunished.
next time a close relative friend or your own child is on life support and hanging by a thread, just wonder if the machine, saving the life of that person, if that machine was purchased out of Benji Marshals charity work all done in his spare time while you and your personal slating of the man blurt you disgust around a bar or just sit at home on facebook or playstation, power to you Benji and your 11 years of loyalty, most married people don’t last that long these days. Only in Australia couch potatoes
You’re a moron Mono….
name calling lol you must be one tough woman to live with
You’re a broken person Mono. That’s all.