‘Swans will drop him’: Heeney facing multimillion-dollar sponsorship fallout

Isaac Heeney could lose at least $2 million in sponsorship earnings and future deals as brands rush to tear up his contracts amid a police investigation, according to a leading publicity expert.

Colgate has axed its commercial partnership with the Sydney Swans star, Telstra has paused his involvement in its ambassador program, and publisher Allen & Unwin has stopped promoting his two children’s books.

Heeney is the focus of a Victoria Police investigation after a woman reported being sexually assaulted inside the Pullman Hotel in the early hours of Monday.

He has not been formally charged, and nine.com.au is not accusing him of any crime nor suggesting he is the only subject of the police investigation, only that he is assisting police with enquiries.

Publicity expert Max Markson - who has worked with the likes of Nelson Mandela, Kim Kardashian, and Arnold Schwarzenegger - said the subsequent financial hit for the star midfielder could easily run into seven figures.

“I reckon he’s definitely going to lose $2 million, because with Telstra, Colgate, Volkswagen, Nike... this is money that he’d earn, not just this year, but the next couple of years,” Markson told nine.com.au.

“This is how business works,” he said.

Markson warned that the consequences could extend well beyond sponsorships, predicting that Heeney’s relationship with Sydney is effectively over.

It is estimated Heeney’s playing contract is worth about $1 million per season, which is due to come to an end in 2028.

He is still being paid by the Swans despite them standing him down.

“The Swans, I think, will finish up, literally, dropping him.”

He added that age offers no cushion for the vice-captain: “It’s not like he’s young. He’s 30 years old.”

Consumer psychologist and founder of creative agency Thinkerbell, Adam Ferrier, said the loss of future sponsorship opportunities could prove particularly costly over time.

“Brands buy not just sporting performance but trust, reputation and the ability to represent their values,” Ferrier said.

“If that trust is damaged, the cost will extend well beyond the value of the deals he has today.”

Ferrier explained that companies act far quicker when an agreement is held directly with an individual ambassador to preserve brand safety.

Broader club-level sponsorships often involve a longer review process as companies await official police findings.

Colgate confirmed on Thursday it had suspended its partnership with Heeney pending the outcome of the Victoria Police investigation.

“We take these matters very seriously and have suspended our partnership with Mr Heeney pending completion of the investigation,” the company said in a statement.

The fallout has also hit Heeney’s Little Isaac Footy Fever children’s book series, which launched two weeks before the players were stood down.

Allen & Unwin confirmed to nine.com.au that it had paused promotion of the first two titles and put the release of his third book on hold.

Telstra has paused both Heeney and fellow Sydney Swans player Chad Warner from taking part in its ambassador program while the investigation continues.

Ferrier and Markson both agreed that rebuilding public trust would depend on Heeney’s actions over a prolonged period rather than any short-term PR fix.

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“If Isaac Heeney wants to rebuild trust over time, the starting point is understanding and acknowledging the impact his alleged actions have had on the women involved, his club, supporters and the wider community,” Ferrier said.

“Whether public figures recover from events like this depends less on reputation management and more on genuine reflection and accountability, and the actions they take over a long period of time.”