Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin is facing criticism over his new partnership with Hahn Brewery.
The former AFL star, 37, who retired in July last year, has signed to become the face of Hahn’s latest campaign in a deal reportedly worth between $150,000 and $200,000.
Buddy, a mental health advocate, has been doing some publicity for the new venture and was even featured in a segment on Sunrise drinking a Hahn beer.
However, he also received criticism for his collaboration with the alcohol brand, saying that this move was ‘not in keeping with the character of the athlete’.
According to insiders, the show of support could indicate that Buddy, who had a $10 million contract with the Sydney Swans before his retirement, needs the extra income.
“Firstly, it’s Dry July so the timing is bad, and secondly, it’s not ‘on brand’,” an insider said. The Daily Telegraph of the approval.
‘Kids and boys who look up to Buddy would have sat there and watched their idol, sitting with a beer in front of him on the television at breakfast.’
“Buddy doesn’t normally do anything with the media so this is out of character,” added another, who described the footballer as “media shy”.
Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin has been criticised for his new partnership with Hahn Brewery, following his retirement from the AFL last July
However, other fans were very happy with Buddy’s new partnership and posted on Instagram praising him for his new career path.
One of them responded to his ad post by writing, “Excellent,” while a second commented, “Two of my favorites!” and a third added, “Cheers!”
Buddy was a guest on Sunrise on Thursday to talk about his retirement and promote his partnership with the brand. At the end of the interview, he enjoyed a Hahn beer.
He previously said of his collaboration to promote the brewery’s carb-free beer: ‘It was great to work with Hahn again. Not to kick football, but to show carbs the door.’
Ny Breaking Australia has contacted Buddy’s representatives for comment.
Much of Buddy and his wife Jesinta’s wealth comes from the strength of their brand. Over the years, they have secured a large number of lucrative sponsorship deals.
Buddy has signed on to be the face of Hahn’s latest campaign in a deal rumored to be worth between $150,000 and $200,000, a move deemed “out of character” by insiders
However, Buddy and his wife Jesinta have not yet signed a new contract with their former mega-client, vitamin brand Swisse, The Daily Telegraph reports.
And last month, Buddy and Jesinta put their luxury Gold Coast mansion on the market, just 18 months after purchasing it.
The power couple purchased the $8.75 million Mediterranean-style property, located in the upscale suburb of Reedy Creek, in late 2022.
The mansion is known as Villa Casa and when Budd and Jesinta, 32, bought it, they broke the price record for a home in the scenic backcountry.
The seven-bedroom designer home sits on a 4,497 m² plot and offers breathtaking views of the city skyline and beautiful Italian-style arches.
The Franklins decided to sell their home after rumours spread that they were considering moving to the country. They left Sydney for the Gold Coast after Buddy retired.
“We’re thinking about selling and buying a farm now, so yeah, we’ll see how it goes,” Jesinta told The Morning Show.
It comes after Buddy and his wife Jesinta put their luxury Gold Coast mansion on the market, just 18 months after purchasing the property, as they consider a move to the country
“We love being out on the land, growing our own food, having horses, some Highland cattle, we would love that,” she said.
Buddy recently reflected on the changes in his life since retiring, sharing that he’s been able to spend more time with Jesinta and their children – Tullulah, four, and Rocky, three.
“I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been very special to spend this time with my wife and kids,” he told Sunrise this week.
When asked if he would choose reality TV as a career path, Buddy replied, “We’re very self-centered – Jesinta not so much – but I like to keep a low profile and stay true to myself. That’s the way I’ve always been.”
Buddy’s departure from the AFL was officially announced by the club in July last year after the forward told his teammates of his decision.
Shortly after the news broke, he posted a short thank you message on Instagram.
Buddy’s departure from the AFL was officially announced by the club in July last year after the forward told his teammates of his decision
“What a journey. Thank you to everyone who has been on this crazy ride with me,” he wrote, accompanied by a love heart emoji.
Buddy, who won the championship with the Hawks in 2008 and 2013, will go down as one of the greatest players in Australian football history.
He now ranks fourth on the list of all-time AFL and VFL goal kickers, with 1,066 majors in 354 games.
His 1000th goal caused wild scenes at the SCG club during the match between the Swans and Geelong in March last year.
His many achievements include being named All Australian Award eight times, Best Goalkeeper for Sydney seven times and Hawthorn six times, and winning the Coleman Medal for the league’s best goalkeeper four times.