As the world mourns the loss of the legendary musician Tina Turner, Australians are paying tribute to her significant contribution to the country's rugby league history. While Tina Turner is widely recognized as a groundbreaking rocker, her influence on the sport has left a lasting impression.
National Rugby League CEO Andrew Abdo acknowledged Turner's unique role in one of Australia's most iconic sports marketing campaigns. He described her involvement as inspirational and credited her with reshaping public perception of rugby league. "What made that campaign so successful was Tina—what a wonderful person she was," Abdo praised.
During the late 1980s, Australian rugby league faced criticism for its working-class and macho image.
Recognizing the need to attract a broader audience, particularly women and families, the sport's leadership sought a transformation. This led them to collaborate with Turner, known as the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll."
Coincidentally, Turner's manager, Roger Davies, was a rugby league fan and a friend of John Quayle, then the sport's general manager. As a result, Turner's hit song "What You Get Is What You See" was selected for a bold 1989 marketing campaign. The campaign featured suggestive montages of players on the beach and the field while Turner's powerful voice resonated.
Quayle recalled the initial controversy surrounding the decision to use "a black American grandmother" to promote rugby league. However, once people heard the commercial and saw its impact, it became widely regarded as one of the greatest sporting advertisements ever produced in the country.
The success of the campaign led to another promotional endeavor featuring Turner's power ballad "Simply The Best," propelling rugby
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