Sexist billboard from 2000s reappears

The re-emergence of a Southland Stags sexist marketing billboard from the early 2000s has left Rugby Southland denouncing the content and asking for it to be taken down.

The sign, which is believed to have been put up at a Southland business, advertises a Southland Stags game to be played on September 25 against Manawatu, and uses "hooking up" with a girl behind the rugby stand as an enticer for spectators to go to the match.

"It was mean bro. I was getting with this mint as blonde chick, but I went to get us a feed and met this other hot as chick waiting for a hot dog, no sauce, and I was like, woah, me too, so we ended up hooking up behind the stand for the rest of the game," the marketing spiel reads.

Underneath it says, "Daniel on how the game went last night’,’ with the words "You’ve gotta be there" in capital letters.

In a social media post, Rugby Southland denounced the hoarding saying it had come to light that a very old billboard from the early to mid 2000s had been put up on the wall of an Invercargill business.

"Rugby Southland does not condone the messaging on the billboard and it does not align with our morals or messaging of the modern game or that of our sponsors and stakeholders."

The post also says no present staff were involved in the marketing or the approval of the billboard and they were not aware of its existence.

"We have requested the billboard be removed."

Southland Rugby communications co-ordinator Jack King said yesterday the organisation would be making no further comment about the situation.

"We’ve dealt directly with those involved and with those who put it up and other than that, that’s where it sits really."

karen.pasco@odt.co.nz