NRL Players - Are They Role Models?

[Kimlo]

Kind of relevant... Where I work the people who smoke out the front have to conceal their work badges, i.e. Please don't let the public know that such a reputable company employs people who smoke. Well that's the way I see the policy. Obviously footy players don't get that luxury, badge or no badge, I know who Justin Hodges is and so do 1 million others.

 

[subsbligh]

Refer back to the George Burgess, Tamou and Blake Ferguson threads recently for the "agree to disagree" approach BHQ takes on this one.

It's a stupid hypothetical and marginal argument. A kid is not going to turn out to be a rapist because he watched Blake Ferguson play rugby league.

Rugby League players in previous generations probably behaved as bad or worse, given the absence of the threat of public scrutiny in prior generations.I've heard some pretty damning stories about people mentioned in Gus's article. In fact, the reality is the players these days are probably better behavedthan ever.

The media and in turn the general public (GP) who struggle to form an independent view of things, take it as gospel that children's morals and values are mortally wounded by NRL stars off-field behaviours.

No one actually cares what NRL stars do in their free time or can prove that their day to day lives, or their children's lives are in any way effected by what NRL players do off the field.

The GP cares because the media tells them to care.

 

[Coxy]

Which again misses the point on the importance of the corporate dollar these days and the bad publicity being associated with club scandals can bring sponsors. Yes, large part of brand impact is due to media coverage of said incidents, but that's inevitable.

Now especially when there's memes galore that go viral, the last thing a sponsor wants is their name attached to what becomes a running joke.

The whole "won't somebody please think of the children" line is a bit silly, always has been. The impact on them would be very minor, but the impact on their parents is more the key. The fighting situation a great example. Do kids see fights on the field and then go out and do it? Most likely no. But when parents see players fighting and there's no punishment at all, what's their thought process? "I don't want my son playing that game, getting punched and nobody do anything about it, so he's playing soccer!".

Or "Teams go away on end of season trips and drug and rape women? I don't want my child in that kind of degrading culture".

It's all well and good to say that the parent's response should be "Now little Johnny, that's wrong, and I want you to promise me you'll never do that!". But that's denying just how influential teammates and peers can be.

 

[subsbligh]

My point is that asking whether or not NRL players are role models is an irrelevant a trite question.

Undoubtedly the stakeholders in the rugby league enterprise perceive these dramas as bad for business.

 

[subsbligh]

Kind of relevant... Where I work the people who smoke out the front have to conceal their work badges, i.e. Please don't let the public know that such a reputable company employs people who smoke. Well that's the way I see the policy. Obviously footy players don't get that luxury, badge or no badge, I know who Justin Hodges is and so do 1 million others.

I see your point. I don't like going out on a Friday night drinking if I am wearing branded corporate uniform, for example. Completely irrational, but I'll change my clothes or wear something else.

I don't want people to think that guy's is getting sloshed, that's what they must do at XYZ Pty Ltd.

I think most players these days would have that feeling x 1000.

 

[Coxy]

I see your point. I don't like going out on a Friday night drinking if I am wearing branded corporate uniform, for example. Completely irrational, but I'll change my clothes or wear something else.

I don't want people to think that guy's is getting sloshed, that's what they must do at XYZ Pty Ltd.

I think most players these days would have that feeling x 1000.

To be honest I doubt most of them are smart enough to connect the dots. Certainly not the rookies.

 

[Porthoz]

Which again misses the point on the importance of the corporate dollar these days and the bad publicity being associated with club scandals can bring sponsors. Yes, large part of brand impact is due to media coverage of said incidents, but that's inevitable.

Now especially when there's memes galore that go viral, the last thing a sponsor wants is their name attached to what becomes a running joke.

The whole "won't somebody please think of the children" line is a bit silly, always has been. The impact on them would be very minor, but the impact on their parents is more the key. The fighting situation a great example. Do kids see fights on the field and then go out and do it? Most likely no. But when parents see players fighting and there's no punishment at all, what's their thought process? "I don't want my son playing that game, getting punched and nobody do anything about it, so he's playing soccer!".

Or "Teams go away on end of season trips and drug and rape women? I don't want my child in that kind of degrading culture".

It's all well and good to say that the parent's response should be "Now little Johnny, that's wrong, and I want you to promise me you'll never do that!". But that's denying just how influential teammates and peers can be.

Exactly this. Couldn't agree more!