The NRL's summer from hell cost Melbourne Storm $500,000 a year in lost sponsorship, claims Storm Chairman Bart Campbell.

The claim was made in the Federal Court with Campbell backing the ARL commission and NRL's no-fault stand down rules, which have been applied to St George's Jack de Belin who is currently challenging the league's policy in a well-documented court case.

The policy was established in March this season, following the many controversial headlines that circulated the NRL off-season. It allowed the ARL commission to stand down any player who was charged with a serious crime which carries sentencing of 11 years more, and disallows the player from taking the field while their case is heard in court.

De Belin pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated sexual assault occurring late last year.

Campbell said that the Storm franchise struggled to find a replacement for major sponsors Crown Resorts after they announced last year that they would be no longer linked as a partner with the club.

Martin Einfield, a member of de Belin's legal team, argued that his client and the coinciding dramas during the off-season  had nothing to to with Storm's inability to attract a sponsor.

The Storm boss responded by saying the club had negotiated with 15 to 20 organisations, some of which stating that they didn't want to be associated with the game - which occurred early in the new year and late last year.

"We had four companies tell us the risk of being associated with the NRL was too great," Campbell told AAP.

The club eventually signed real estate company Purple Bricks in March, agreeing to a one-year deal to become Storm's major sponsor.

Campbell said after a recent financial upturn, the club experienced issues with gaining revenue and corporate support from sponsors following the code's bad-boy summer antics.

"In the six years I've been involved with the club we've had an increase of 73 per cent in sponsorship, crowds have increased 70 per cent membership has increased 75 per cent, TV audiences have gone from 11 million to 19 million," Campbell said.

Campbell spoke to reporters outside of court saying his stance was nothing personal against de Belin and St George Illawara, he just wanted to protect the game.

7 COMMENTS

  1. So he obviously had no issues with the Jesse Bromwich issue with Kevin Proctor a couple of years ago?? Why is the chairman of the Storm allowed to give evidence in this matter?? Typical hypocrites

    If DeBelin is allowed to resume playing then imo it’s ta ta to Greenberg and his gullible mate Peter 👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻. I think Jack is a very solid chance of this issue going his way next week

  2. The pride of the league to beat the doggies and the Storm to slaughter the rorters fact…guess who will be in front of the rorters on the ladder tonight thats right souths the pride of the league whom are the most successful rugby league club in the history of australian rugby league go you good thing get your money on the bunny…fact…

  3. You obviously are not the father of a daughter. Hypocrite , to have any parallel or comparison between indulging in party drugs to forcing yourself on to a young lady is beyond belief. Whether he did or didn’t is not up to me but I don’t want my youngens looking up to someone who is accused of this or telling a young mate while he is pissed “to have a go as well”. Simple fact it is not a good look for any sport, not just the NRL

  4. Spot on mate. All Redv13 is concerned about is that his player can play in the ANZAC game of footy while. People like Redv13 do not look at the big picture.

    He would rather have his children go and cheer for a person who is potentially a criminal. But even if he is innocent. Redv13 would love his daughter cheering on a person like you said. Who Treat woman like dirt and cheats on his wife. One of the subjects like Folau pointed out as being “sin” an Adulterer.

    As for the damage with all the players tarnishing the image of our great game, then officials like the Melbourne Storm bloke needs to tell the courts how it is damaging our game. Players need to behave or get stood down until the court system has dealt with the matter.

  5. Like all your other FACTS shadow CLOWN. Your a dreamer and none of your facts are facts. OK western rabbit’o 🙂

  6. Yes ! ! ! Just a little reminder to all you souffffffths fans out there in footy land that after 6 rounds, which is equivalent to the quarter way mark of the footy season, that The Mighty Sydney Roosters have attracted 17,000 Home Crowd Average to soufffffths rabbit’os 11,000 thousand Home Crowd Average Still leading the so called “pride of Western Suburbs” by a team that soufffffths fans say has no fans. Ahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah 🙂

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