NRL: West Tigers’ ANZAC Day jersey farce cost the club $80,000
REVEALED: Tigers’ ANZAC Day jersey farce is costing the NRL fighters up to $80,000 – and fans CANNOT buy the redesigned shirt
The West Tigers will reportedly be left with a five-figure black hole after being forced to redesign their ANZAC Day jersey.
The NRL fighters – who have gone five tries this season without winning – apologized on Wednesday after their ANZAC Round commemorative jersey featured a standard image of US soldiers, rather than Aussie diggers.
About 500 jerseys have been sold and the club has offered refunds on those orders, while remaining stock will not go on sale.
And News Corp has confirmed the big mistake will cost the club up to $80,000, with executives revealing they will not be able to sell the newly designed shirt to fans.
“The commemorative jersey that our players are required to wear for this match has been criticized because an image on the jersey does not accurately depict Australian or New Zealand troops,” the Tigers said in a statement.
The Tigers’ ANZAC jersey gaffe will reportedly cost the club up to $80,000
The NRL club used an image of US soldiers on their 2023 ANZAC Day jersey instead of going with Aussie diggers (pictured)
The Tigers sent a letter to fans apologizing for the mistake (Photo: CEO Justin Pascoe)
“As a club, the Wests Tigers are deeply sorry if the use of this image has offended anyone. This was never our intention and we are taking steps to rectify this.
“We’ve taken feedback from our members and fans and will redesign our commemorative jersey for 2023 immediately.”
The club now has three weeks to make a new shirt. On Wednesday, David Klemmer and John Bateman defended their club.
“First of all, I walked in this morning and it hit me right in the nose. I don’t think the club went out of their way to make a jersey [that was disrespectful] or disrespect or harm someone.
Their hearts were in the right place. They thought they were doing the right thing.
The cost of the blunder totals five figures and fans will not be able to buy the new jersey
“They’re going to pull the jersey, make a new one, and the jerseys we wear will be auctioned off for charity. They are manned.
“They knocked it upside down, we all knocked it upside down, did the right thing.
“I know we’re open to all kinds of criticism because we’re not doing very well. The most important thing we can do is acknowledge it. We coughed up one. But the club did well to solve it.’