The first look at the return of Simply The Best, the greatest rugby league of all time
After 25 years on the shelf, the greatest rugby league advertising campaign of all time is back, with Jimmy Barnes leading the charge from the ruins of the Sydney Football Stadium itself.
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From the ruins of the Sydney Football Stadium where Tina Turner first performed her smash hit and rugby league anthem Simply The Best, rock legend Jimmy Barnes has filmed a stirring rendition of the song for a 30-year anniversary campaign on Fox Sports.
Filmed smack-bang in the middle of the construction zone, it will be used as the pay TV network’s “call to arms” on the eve of the 2020 NRL kick-off in March.
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Fox Sports has been secretly working on the project since October when permission was first sought from construction giant Lendlease and the SCG Trust to use the venue.
The song was recorded in the studio at Barnes’s home before Christmas, with the approval from Tina Turner’s management then synched with the shoot on the dirt from the old Allianz Stadium.
Music producer Kevin Shirley, who once worked with Led Zeppelin and other big performers, is working on the campaign.
Old footage that was never used from Turner’s shoots with players in the 90s will be part of the campaign.
Fox Sports has bought the rights for 12 months.
“We’ll use it all through the footy season,” sports boss Steve Crawley said.
“It will be our call to arms. It’s a massive year in Tina’s anniversary and this is a fitting way of celebrating with such an icon of Australian music.
“Jimmy is unbelievable and the fans are going to love it.”