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London Irish losing sponsorships

I heard that the Cash Converters one was a coincidence they tries to paint in a good light (they were pulling out anyway but said it was because of PJ when it was brought up)

Losing Diageo/Guinness is massive though, like massively massive. Not just from a monetary stand point but marketing/brand association etc.
 
Tough to have sympathy, they can't really be surprised that sponsors, especially Guinness, don't want to associate with PJ
 
Aye... no doubt because Diageo wouldn't want their product to be associated with rape, domestic abuse, substance abuse, driving under the influence or any of the other myriad social problems that can be attributed to folks drinking too much alcohol.

:rolleyes:
 
Tough to have sympathy, they can't really be surprised that sponsors, especially Guinness, don't want to associate with PJ

No quite true - I have much sympathy for whoever thought that it would be a good idea to recruit Jackson. I hope their rehabilitation goes well!
 
This was always going to happen. This trial is going to haunt Jackson for life which is a breach of his private life in my opinion, rape cases really should be held in camera, it's one thing our jurisdiction has done well.

This isn't really a defence of PJ, I don't want him playing for a province ever again which he won't but I doubt he's the only rugby player who'd be untouchable from a sponsor's point of view if their worst behaviour was headline news for two months.
 
I heard that the Cash Converters one was a coincidence they tries to paint in a good light (they were pulling out anyway but said it was because of PJ when it was brought up)

Losing Diageo/Guinness is massive though, like massively massive. Not just from a monetary stand point but marketing/brand association etc.



One of my closest mates is a huge London Irish fan and pretty much said exactly the same regarding Cash Converters - they were leaving at the end of the season any way, before the PJ signing was announced, and just hopped on the bandwagon at the last minute.

He also, however, said that the club's relationship with Guinness has evolved over the last few years ever since the Diageo group take over.
According to him, the Diageo group are not one of the club's main sponsors any more, and do not bring as much to the club as most people think, outside the club's St Patrick's day party event.

He's not worried at all by this. I don't know if it's blind optimism or if he genuinely has a point.

Personally I think that Guinness is one of the most iconic brands in the whole world, and given the club's clear Irish routes and connections, losing a sponsor with the brand/marketing power that Guinness has surely is going to affect them going forward.
 
London Irish fans are just being extremely blind to this in general.

The best they can hope for is that no one else leaves.
Sponsors coming in now will most likely want to do so at a lower rate.

Even if Diageo only really did ST paddy's day game that's THE big game for Irish that's their main bread maker.

Irish have spent a **** load on players any sponsor loss will be big for them. No matter how much they spin it
 
London Irish fans are just being extremely blind to this in general.

The best they can hope for is that no one else leaves.
Sponsors coming in now will most likely want to do so at a lower rate.

Even if Diageo only really did ST paddy's day game that's THE big game for Irish that's their main bread maker.

Irish have spent a **** load on players any sponsor loss will be big for them. No matter how much they spin it


Rumours that Magners are interested but maybe at a lower rate as you've pointed out.

I agree with your points in general tbh - I think companies in general are wary of associating themselves with anything like this. PJ was cleared of rape in a court of law, and personally,I think the public outrage is largely unfounded as a result.
I'm not trying to defend the bloke, I just have trust in our judicial system and believe that if a court of law finds him not guilty in a proper trial, then that is enough for me. This is the reason we have laws and legal processes.

Companies still like a clean image though, and I agree they could be put off.
 
I would be surprised if Magners did sponsor them, would also be very surpised mainly due to how short a turnaround it would be, it sounded like Diageo only started talks with Irish couple days ago.
The deal would be if true massively lower.


Part of me feels he was found not-guilty and people need to move on, but another part of me thinks that his attitude before and during the case wasn't exactly one that makes me want to have any sympathy for his predicament.
Similarly no sympathy for London Irisih who knew this would likely happen. (Sale did a U turn due to it) like any club in england that signs Izzy will most likely face similar problems.
 
Excuse my ignorance, but i understood he was found not guilty and that then some text messages appeared which were clearly derogatory and sexist but not illegal.
Is my understanding correct or am i missing something?
 
Guinness don't give a **** about the case or PJ or the woman in question, they care about marketing and specifically social media.

The money they spend on LI and the money the sponsorship brings back will be a penny drop in an ocean for them, however they don't want to risk a social media backlash by a vocal minority and the black mark that can bring against their name.
 
Yup sponsorship and marketing have got ******** all to do with guilty/non guilty verdicts.

Marketing has a simple equation does the amount invested yield less than the money made by it. Clearly here they believe the association with PJ (and general public aversion to it regardless of verdict) means the investment isn't worth it.



The oppsoite end of the spectrum is Kapernick, Nike knew what they were doing but clearly felt the equation far outweighed the backlash they got (and increased sales they got just so people could burn their products).
 
I'm slightly amazed Irish took the risk in hiring them knowing (rightly or wrongly) it would damage the Irish brand and potentially lose them sponsorship.
 
I've seen some Irish fans on social media saying it doesn't matter as long as the PJ brings success to the club

The "good players at whatever monetary cost" idea is what killed London Welsh off
 
You're probably getting PJ for about 200k less than what he's worth, an international class 10 that won't play internationals is the most valuable commodity in club rugby. Depends whether or not the risk guys got it right with the sponsorship loss.
 
There has to be a way back for him. When people say things like
'I hope he never plays for a Provence again'

I assume they have never made a mistake or down anything wrong in their lives????
I mean surely he deserves a second chance at some point.
 
Honestly depending on what has happened second chances are earned not given.
 

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