Sonny Bill's idea sparks racism outrage...
17-07-08
BULLDOGS fans are split - but those left out might only have to wait their turn.
Chief executive Todd Greenburg waved a calming hand last night as fans became angered at what they believe is a discriminatory promotion.
The club will grant free entry to any fan who can produce a New Zealand, Fijian, Tongan or Samoan passport before Saturday night's game against New Zealand.
The passports will need to be shown to attendants at Gate B of ANZ Stadium. Early indications suggest the attendants are in for a torrid time.
Deflecting anger, Greenburg said the promotion was merely the first of many initiatives the club has planned to attract fans. Lebanese fans will also have their day, as will fans with an Australian heritage.
"This is the first of different initiatives we are doing with different parts of the community," Greenburg said.
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"We think it is a really good fit for the Warriors game specifically."
When announced yesterday the promotion quickly stirred debate, with some roundly applauding as others labelled it a case of reverse racism.
Many of the club's Lebanese fans also felt, with some justification, that they had been snubbed.
However, Greenburg last night moved to take the sting out of the criticism, saying other demographics will also have their day.
The news was a warm relief for fans of the club that has promoted itself as the multicultural club and has a fan base dominated by Lebanese and Middle Eastern fans.
Many of those fans inundated forums yesterday expressing their anger at the snub.
"This is . . . ing bull . . . ! Why can't my mate get in for free on his Thai passport?" wrote Inside Bebo News on the Dogs fan site,
The Kennel.
"Just because I do not live in the Islands I have to pay," said David, of Sydney. "Discrimination case if I have ever seen one."
One Bulldog supporter, calling himself Lebanese Bulldog on
The Kennel, wrote, "Yeh bro, that's me in for free".
He may have been being facetious.
Greenburg says the Dogs will search for other games that provide a fit with different fan demographics to promote in the future.
As honest as the Dogs' intentions are, though, a night celebrating Australia's heritage is fraught with danger.
However, Greenburg was dip- lomatic.
"We might have Australia Day, who knows?" he said.
"We are open to all sorts of ideas.
"This is a first-up attempt at something and we will continue to try different things.
"I want to be a leader of a club that tries different things and if we get criticised, shoot us down. But we want to try different things at this club to get fans through the gate."
Allegations the ploy is racist are not absolutely true, as white citizens holding passports from those countries are included in the free entry.
Alternatively, citizens with Maori or other Polynesian heritage, but without a passport, will have to pay like other Australian-born fans.
The ploy stirred widespread debate around the rugby league community yesterday when
The Daily Telegraph kick-started debate with an online poll.
Several years ago the Sydney Roosters ran a similar promotion, allowing Kiwi passport holders free entry.
While also playing the Warriors, that promotion was a self-deprecating jab at the Roosters' own supporter base, which is Bondi.
The plan is a deliberate, if misguided, attempt to cater for the growing whims of Sonny Bill Williams, who recently threatened to leave the club amid claims he was not properly respected as a team leader.
Williams has recently begun campaigning for the rights of Polynesian players who, he believes, are not always afforded the same rights as players of anglo-saxon heritage.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,24031193-5006066,00.html
