Almanac Netball – Go The Diamonds: athletes and sponsorship (a big moment in Australian sport)
Oh I feel excited to be writing this.
Thrilled.
Go the Diamonds.
When the collective of the Australian representative netball team (The Diamonds) chose last fortnight to support their Indigenous teammate, which meant approaching a billionaire sponsor to negotiate conditions, it represented a shift in Australian sport.
To be clear, the Diamonds acted in solidarity with their teammate, Noongar woman Donnell Wallam. She had serious reservations about wearing the logo of a company built by the late Lang Hancock – a man who, in the 1980s, publicly advocated for the sterilisation of Aboriginal peoples in Australia.
The Diamonds athletes listened to Donnell Wallam’s concerns and collectively they acted. This was no petty matter. According to ABC online, ‘the players made various proposals to Hancock Prospecting in order to help resolve the issue in a private and professional manner.’
But, when Hancock Prospecting withdrew funding, plenty of public response was negative.
‘Ungrateful’ was just one of many labels disparagingly placed on The Diamonds after Hancock Prospecting chose not to negotiate a middle ground, but rather to withdraw their entire offer of sponsorship.
It is worth considering the onus of gratitude there. Why are athletes framed as being the ones who should be grateful? Why is the sponsor not framed as the one who should be grateful to be associated with the team?
Of course, sponsorship money is welcome. But not any sponsorship money. Any transaction includes costs and benefits. In this case, the costs for The Diamonds were simply too great.
The case of the Australian Diamonds is significant and different because it was led not by administrators, not by government legislation, but by the players themselves.
Of course a replacement sponsor was always going to be found – particularly given the media attention around this story. (Today that sponsor was announced as Visit Victoria. And undoubtedly this will spark a whole new thread of judgment and outrage. But let’s stick with the original point here).
The public and collective stance of The Diamonds in supporting Donnell Wallam was brave, principled and strong. That a replacement sponsor was found swiftly will give heart and confidence to others contemplating their own situations in the future.
As tweeted today by former Australian footballer and refugee advocate Craig Foster (@Craig_Foster):
“Well done to the courageous Donnell Wallam & the Diamonds.”
“Their stance led to important discussions on historical racism, sport & climate denialism, use of sponsorship to silence athletes/sports & a positive outcome for all.
@VisitVictoria”
From the outside, it seems that the Diamonds players asked themselves, “Who are we? Who do we want to be?” and they acted. I walk a bit taller tonight. Go the Diamonds!
Read more from E.regnans HERE
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About David Wilson
David Wilson is a hydrologist, climate reporter and writer of fiction & observational stories. He writes under the name “E.regnans” at The Footy Almanac and has stories in several books. One of his stories was judged as a finalist in the Tasmanian Writers’ Prize 2021. He shares the care of two daughters and likes to walk around feeling generally amazed. Favourite tree: Eucalyptus regnans.
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I think I feel mostly relief for Wallam right now – the way she was isolated and then blamed by parts of the media for costing her sport $15 million (right after her goal was the decider in a thriller no less) was shocking.
It has been very interesting, JL.
And as I wrote on 17 October on Twitter: “I’m reminded of the fictional Richmond team standing by Nigerian captain Sam Obisanya over his refusal to wear the logo of a team sponsor that polluted his homeland in [the Disney+ TV series] “Ted Lasso.”’
Go the Diamonds.
Excellent summary, e.r.
I thought it was extremely brave of Wallam – who had never played a Test – to stand up for herself and her people.
This may well be a seismic moment in Australian sport.
My only question: where does one draw the line between a “good” sponsor and a “bad” sponsor?
Well Mountain Ash, this reads well. But it’s good to look at the event in context, that is sport as we know it here is not sport, it is part of the entertainment industry. Beyond maybe local junior sport there’s commercial interests at play across the board in what we call sport.
In our contemporary world people are no longer perceived/described as citizens/civilians, rather as consumers/clients. The entertainment industry is big money. But the money is made by the players, they’re the ones the consumers go to see, go to cheer.
I reckon it’s been a great effort by the Diamonds to use their collective strength to take this stand. Gina Rinehart didn’t offer this money out of the goodness of her heart but it was considered commercially viable. She wasn’t willing to compromise, instead she took her money and walked away. It’s worth noting the money she offered was a total of 0.0375% of her wealth.
As well as praise for the brave effort of the Diamonds it’s been great seeing the Visit Victoria offer of money, helping support a sport that 1.3 M Australians, overwhelmingly females play.
Glen!
Can’t help myself here does anyone seriously think the Vic Govt in the lead up to the election put the money up ‘out of the goodness of their heart ‘
Please
Without passing judgement on the netballers or the cricketers [Captain Pat ] my mind casts forward to a time where perhaps Corporates will not pursue sponsorships because of the fear of brand damage should participants have a grievance with their product . I will be mightily pissed off if Governments continues to step up to fill the breach given it’s not what I pay my taxes for and we have a deficit Crisp couldn’t jump over .
Hi Smokie – good sponsor v bad sponsor is a question for the times.
And I think it’s wonderful that the question is being asked.
Unusual that it is being asked (and answered) by players. But again, I think it’s wonderful that the question is being asked.
Hi Glen – thanks. I feel one of the great shames is to refer to citizens in a republic as consumers. Or as customers.
Hayden – deviating from the topic –
I’m happy with this Tourism Victoria advertising after the pandemic lockdown years. It’s one of those rubbery ones that advocates will claim as a bargain for all the jobs/ money/ opportunity the deal will create, while naysayers bemoan the expense. No one will ever know.
And timing – a day or two out from caretaker period? Who knows?
Very well said.
Spot on Er. Well done Donnell Wallam and the Diamonds for standing their ground. Love Craig Foster’s tweet, sums it up doesn’t it. Onya