News: NRL clubs don't want Bears in their backyard

[Berkeley_Eagle]

<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal; font-size: 11px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px;">THE bid by the Central Coast Bears for admittance to the NRL is lacking crucial support from existing clubs.</span></p>


<a href="http://www.silvertails.net/news/5273-nrl-clubs-dont-want-bears-in-their-backyard.html">Read the full article</a>

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Fair call as well, really Central Coast is still "Sydney" and do we need more teams down there....probably not, whereas the game needs to expand in QLD and certainly Perth should be considered strongly due to the reasons mentioned in the article.

 

[The Wheel]

Excellent finally those North Sydney grubs will die

 

[Fro]

Who??

 

[tookey]

They are just scared that a team on the central coast will cut off the supply of juniors especially for manly.  

Also they know that the central coast bears team will be such a strong unstoppable force once established

The central coast is a huge growing area that they deserve their own team. 

 

[eagles2win]

To me it represent's a missed opportunity of packing out Brookie.

We all know we're going to be painted as the bad guy here and the Bear fans would come from near and far to watch there team get beaten by us

 

[Andrew..]

I just don't see the need for inclusion of another N.S.W based team, we need national expansion to maximise revenue.

 

[tookey]

[quote author=tookey link=topic=186059.msg308113#msg308113 date=1291154320]
They are just scared that a team on the central coast will cut off the supply of juniors especially for manly.  

Also they know that the central coast bears team will be such a strong unstoppable force once established

The central coast is a huge growing area that they deserve their own team.  

Yes - they deserve their own team - not the displaced loser bears.
[/quote]


Without the North's involvement the central coast wouldn' be able to obtain the corporate sponsorship from companies like Mortgage House.  

 

[Ryan]

Here is my theory, and I realise it would not be popular, but it would certainly make business sense.

+ A team, selected by the commission (examples are Roosters, Bulldogs, Sharks) are dissolved, and the brand name patented, so that another NRL team cannot use the teams name. (This initially will be very unpopular, but long term will bare fruits).

+ A team is created on the Central Coast under its own guise. I am assuming this team would be rather heavily supported.

+ A second team, selected by the commission (examples are Roosters, Bulldogs, Sharks) are dissolved, and the brand name patented, so that another NRL team cannot use the teams name. (This initially will be very unpopular, but long term will bare fruits).

+ A new team is created in Central QLD under its own guise. This will create more competition for players in this area, as well as sponsors...and that is a positive.

+ The NRL are avid about expansion. We need to look in a seperate demographic. WA was one of the only profitable organizations before they were dissolved. Bring them back for obvious reasons.

+ NZ Warriors are a worry. They are a nation supporting one team, and when that team is terrible, you potentially lose interest by the whole nation (apart from some die-hards). Bring in a 2nd team there.

We then have a competition as follows:-

Melbourne Storm
Canberra Raiders

NZ Warriors
Auckland Axes

Perth Patriots

Newcastle Knights
Central Coast Cobras

Brisbane Broncos
North Queensland Cowboys
Gold Coast Titans
Central Queensland Comets

St George-Illawarra Dragons
Parramatta Eels
Penrith Panthers
Manly Sea Eagles
Sydney Roosters
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Wests Tigers

Ok, there is still a little saturation in NSW, which means competition for fans and / or sponsors is difficult, but Gallops next job should be at looking at a South Australian franchise, and re-locating either Penrith / Parramatta or Wests there (whichever team is damaged most by the GWS Giants)

That would then leave 6 teams in Sydney (not TOO bad), two in NZ, one in Canberra, one in Melbourne, one in SA, one in WA.

Now, as I said, there would be a lot of heart-ache and pain to begin with, but commercially, it would be fantastic. There would be a much larger audience throughout Australia (meaning more $$$), there is less saturation in NSW), meaning more $$$ for the clubs through sponsors etc, there would be a much broader area mass for potentially new fans and new kids to play the game.

Anyways - that's my 2 cents. New comp as follows:-

Melbourne Storm
Canberra Raiders

NZ Warriors
Auckland Axes

Perth Patriots

Newcastle Knights
Central Coast Cobras

Brisbane Broncos
North Queensland Cowboys
Gold Coast Titans
Central Queensland Comets

St George-Illawarra Dragons
Parramatta Eels
Manly Sea Eagles
Sydney Roosters
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Wests Tigers

Adelaide Arrows

 

[tookey]

Sorry, I actually think it is the other way around. Where were all these mega-buck sponsors when the bears went bankrupt? The only reason they want to get on board now is because of the attraction of the Central Coast market.

I disagree.

The home loan market is very small on the central coast compared to sydney and a company like Mortgage House would get much more business in sydney than the CC.  

The owner of MH Ken Sayer is now a north supporter and has a long history of sponsoring sporting teams particularly NRL clubs.

2009 - NOW: Central Coast Bears (NRL)
 
2006 - 08: Melbourne Storm (NRL)

2006 - 07: Sydney Roosters (NRL)

2004: Brisbane Broncos (NRL)

2002 - 04: St Kilda Saints (AFL)

2000 - 02: Parramatta Eels (NRL)

1999 - 05: Sydney Kings (NBL)

By Nick Walshaw From: The Daily Telegraph November 27, 2010 12:00AM


North Sydney tragic...businessman Ken Sayers, whose company Mortgage House will be one of the main financial backers of the Central Coast Bears' bid. Picture: Dan Himbrechts Source: The Daily Telegraph


FOR the past year, the question has started almost every conversation Dave Fairleigh encounters.

At the shops. In the surf off Avoca beach. Even the contractor painting his house yesterday wanted to know why the bloody hell a Central Coast footy team has to be called the Bears?

"And having grown up on the Coast myself, I get it," says Fairleigh, the retired Kangaroo now headlining the NRL expansion bid.

"It's a fair question and, when it comes to our proposal, easily the one I've been asked to answer most."

OK, Dave, so why the Bad News Bears? Why should Coasties align themselves with an image representing bankruptcy, mediocrity and - let's be brutally honest here - the absolute tragedy that is celebrating your most recent premiership some 20 years before World War II?

It's an important one to get right because the clock is ticking. The competition fierce. NRL boss David Gallop even spending part of this week with the Central Queensland bid team in Rockhampton.

So why the Bears?

"Because when David Gallop considers our bid, the most important criteria will be sustainability," Fairleigh continues. "Proving we can pay the bills.

"We need to come up with $18 million a year and, put simply, we can't do that on the Central Coast alone. We need to tap into a larger market. So should we have a bid called the Central Coast Trojans that won't get approved, or do we use a Bear in our logo - opening ourselves up to an area that runs from Kirribilli to Lake Munmorah?"

Indeed, it's the Bears logo that has already seen Fairleigh's team snare North Sydney tragic Ken Sayer - the Mortgage House managing director who is offering to underwrite the Central Coast club for an astonishing $10 million.

"And if it's not the Bears, we don't have Ken," Fairleigh says simply.

"There are a lot of people in Sydney's north who lost interest in rugby league when North Sydney disappeared. We want to bring them back.

"But that's only one part.

"The other is the people of the Central Coast who will finally get to have a team that lives, plays, trains on the Central Coast. A team that will be sustainable and playing rugby league for the next 100 years.

"It doesn't matter what colour your jersey is, a footy club is judged on its actions.

"You have to remember too that a lot of the school kids I meet, particularly the younger ones, have no idea about the North Sydney Bears anyway.

"We welcome the old Bears fans. But there are also thousands of people on the Central Coast who have been waiting a long time for their own footy team. We're extremely confident we can give them one."

 

[eagles2win]

Mine

A 22 team comp consisting of:
Brisbane Broncos
Canberra Raiders
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
Gold Coast Titans
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Melbourne Storm
Newcastle Knights
Warriors
Nth Qld Cowboys
Parramatta Eels
Penrith Panthers
South Sydney Rabbitohs
St George Illawarra Dragons
Wests Tigers

* You've might have noticed I skipped Cronulla here's why - Cronulla moves to SA and become the Southern Sharks (play the bulk of their home games @ Adelaide and a few at Shark Park)

So thats what we've got currently with the following teams added -

South Island Bulls (Canterbury Bulls but can't have two teams called Canterbury in the comp) provides extra NZ team and a rival for the Warriors

Central Coast Mariners a rich benefactor purchases the Mariners and both of these teams play as the Mariners (but they play in Norths old colours to keep the Bears supporters coming to the game)

South Brisbane Wolves

West Australia Reds  

Sunshine Coast Falcons

and at the moment I'm tossing up between the Ipswich bid or the CQld (there are +'s and -'s for have a team at either location for example Ipswich population is going to explode in the next few years, CQld the money in that region)

*btw I don't really think the GWS team is going to have a huge effect on Rugby League

 

[Guest]

i reckon illawarra should be stand alone they are keeping saints alive with the nursery down here, leave illawarra  as a stand alone entity & watch the dragons crumble .. im sure  the ppl of illawarra  (not me though or any other manly supporter) would welcome an nrl team in here again..  they folded & merged  beacuse of financial strains before, but im sure the local  business`s would do anything to have them back again...

 

[The Who]

The next team in should be one from Brisbane, possibly even two from Brisbane. It's totally out-of-kilter to have just one team in such a big place as Brisbane, which is league mad. It gives the Broncos such a huge advantage.

I don't mind if the Central Coast has a team. I see Cronulla fading away/folding into Illawarra-St George and becoming an even stronger club, unfortunately.

I doubt a team from Perth or Adelaide will succeed, and the air-fares, accommodation etc will eat into NRL coffers.

 

[The Who]

I just spoke to a journo friend based in Perth who says WA is confident of being the next team into the NRL if expansion happens. The reason: TV.

Matches played at 7.30pm in Perth would be broadcast in eastern states at 9.30pm as the second of a double header on Friday nights . . .

Again, it seems that TV is God when it comes to decision-making.

 

[WAMF]

I don't even want the bears ****ting in the woods, let alone being allowed to reincarnate themselves, relocate themselves and then claim territory that is not theirs (eg Nth Syd through to the CC)

If they could survive just being on the CC, then fine and well but I read that article the other day that clearly stated they couldn't operate with only corporate support from the CC.

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And yes, I cannot wait for Manly's very first game in Perth in the expanded comp.

 

[Rex]

The next team in should be one from Brisbane, possibly even two from Brisbane. It's totally out-of-kilter to have just one team in such a big place as Brisbane, which is league mad. It gives the Broncos such a huge advantage.

Barry has got it in one.  Brisbane must be the next team in.  No question.  Fairleigh's comments about the unsustainability of a Central Coast team by itself only emphasises the obvious.  A game every week in Brisbane is a must before any further expansion is even considered.

 

[eagles2win]

[quote author=Barry Hyland link=topic=186059.msg308154#msg308154 date=1291165065]
The next team in should be one from Brisbane, possibly even two from Brisbane. It's totally out-of-kilter to have just one team in such a big place as Brisbane, which is league mad. It gives the Broncos such a huge advantage.

Barry has got it in one.  Brisbane must be the next team in.  No question.  Fairleigh's comments about the unsustainability of a Central Coast team by itself only emphasises the obvious.  A game every week in Brisbane is a must before any further expansion is even considered.
[/quote]

If that's the case they have to capitlise on the rivalry between the people that live on the Northside and the people that live on the Southside(by that I mean South of the river to Logan).
Ippie at this stage is a dive and to be really honest couldn't support a NRL team. Not yet anyway.

 

[Ralphie]

I have lived on the Central Coast since 1988 and I, like the vast majority of the Central Coast population, am a refugee from Sydney.

I have brought with me my passion for the team I have supported for my entire life and I have ensured that my children have been indoctrinated with the Maroon & White. Every other person I know on the Central Coast supports other teams passionately and when I ask will they support the Bears in lieu of their current team the answer is always no.

The Bears can only hope to be everyone's 2nd team and that just won't cut it. The last proposal I saw had 6 games a year played at North Sydney oval. If that were true then the Central Coast will utterly reject the team.

 

[eagles2win]

I have lived on the Central Coast since 1988 and I, like the vast majority of the Central Coast population, am a refugee from Sydney.

I have brought with me my passion for the team I have supported for my entire life and I have ensured that my children have been indoctrinated with the Maroon & White. Every other person I know on the Central Coast supports other teams passionately and when I ask will they support the Bears in lieu of their current team the answer is always no.

The Bears can only hope to be everyone's 2nd team and that just won't cut it. The last proposal I saw had 6 games a year played at North Sydney oval. If that were true then the Central Coast will utterly reject the team.

Last I heard was taking a 'heritage' game against us to NSO.
I've told Bear supporter's why would we want to play you in Heritage round, we'll want to play Parra.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

There's no doubt that TV IS GOD.

Expansion (if any) will be about this, and pretty much this only.

I agree with,

1) another team in QLD, the Central Comets are well down the track but I also agree a second team in Brisbane SHOULD be considered as well...Ant is right the southside here is huge and also the demographic of that area is VERY league orientated.

2) And WAMF will be singing with this one, the Western Reds MUST be brought back in, again TV will dictate that with most of their games being either Friday night second game (live) or Saturday night third game (live)...think about it, makes perfect sense for TV

3) Whilst agreeing that the CC is a huge area we do NOT need another team in Sydney, and let's face it the CC is still Sydney.

4) Existing teams will die only with a LOT of kicking and fighting OR they go broke...seriously let them....the NRL having to kick 2 million in each for the Knights / Sharks this year cannot continue...you prosper, survive or die!

We have 16 teams now and my proposal would be to go to 18, which (with the demise of the Sharks.....they are logically the first to go) gives you space for three more teams.

For me they are,

Western Reds
Central Comets
South Queensland Crushers (for the want of a name)

SA will be a lost cause, there's little to no demographic there that's league orientated.

A second team in NZ sounds ok as well BUT where does that come from.....and no we don't need a 22 team competition Ryan!!

I think I should be voted in on a cushy $300K a year job as a commissioner with these ideas, anyone want to vote for me???