Central Coast Bears, 2013.

[Red&BlackBear]

Singo backs down to back up Bears

Adrian Proszenko

July 17, 2011

EXCLUSIVE

"He's a rugby league fan and he's invested into the stadium many years ago" ... Greg Florimo. Photo: Getty Images

SINGO is again getting behind the Bears. John Singleton has agreed to a $2 million deal to help ensure the Central Coast Bears are the next franchise to obtain an NRL licence.
The multimillionaire advertising guru has long been an advocate of a rugby league team in the Gosford region but vowed to walk away after the Bears were overlooked in favour of the Gold Coast when the competition last expanded.
However, he has had a change of heart and, through the Bluetongue Stadium he owns, will become a shareholder in the franchise if it is granted an NRL licence. The Bears will make a statement this morning confirming the arrangement.
The development is a huge boost for the Bears, who are battling with Brisbane, Central Queensland, Perth, Ipswich, Wellington and Papua New Guinea for entry into the league.
Singleton has had a long involvement with the game and in 2005 was awarded a life membership at the Newtown Jets, the foundation club which he had supported for so long.
The entrepreneur and racing identity was disenchanted after the NRL last knocked back the Central Coast and was quoted as saying in 2008: ''I made that clear last time, here's a $50 million bank guarantee but I want it while I'm still young enough to enjoy it … You feel really insulted when you have got the ground and money and they still tell you to get f---ed.''
Singleton wants to stay in the background this time and the investment has been made through his Central Coast Stadium rather than personally.
''He's a rugby league fan and he's invested into the stadium many years ago,'' Bears chief executive Greg Florimo said. ''Obviously, he'd love to see the stadium attract big crowds every second weekend and that's what the Central Coast Bears can deliver.
''With this decision on the stadium's behalf, hopefully we can reinvigorate Singo to come back and love the game like he once did.
''He's got a soft spot for rugby league and a soft spot for the Central Coast, so this fits in nicely.''
Bluetongue Stadium managing director, Monique Marks, added: ''We'd love to see a team on the Central Coast and this is a commercial decision for the stadium. That's why we've decided to invest our money and to become a shareholder.''
The Bears have taken several steps towards NRL admission including signing up 7000 financial members; attracting 90 cash sponsors; preparing an official bid document and topping the 25,000 follower mark on Facebook.
The club had also previously secured Bluetongue Stadium as their home ground.
''It is a world-class stadium and it will give us a platform to build our shareholding base with the club and a platform to connect with the community,'' Florimo said.
''The league needs to see a required amount of capital in the bank and this investment gives part of that capital. It doesn't guarantee a licence for us but it certainly adds weight to our argument.''



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ck-up-bears-20110716-1hj3l.html#ixzz1SJBSXTxj

 

[Red&BlackBear]

Bring back the Bears

July 17, 2011


THE Sun-Herald players' forum got quite a reaction from fans - most heavily on the issue of which team should next be admitted to the NRL.
Overwhelmingly the vote was for the Central Coast Bears.
Wrote Ros Dare of Charmhaven: ''Central Coast Bears [have] 6953 paid-up members, the third-largest junior area, 86 foundation members who have paid $5500 each, one million people from Milsons Point to Lake Monmorah, and the stadium at Gosford. The NRL has helped Melbourne, Manly, Cronulla, Newcastle, Titans just to name a few with cash grants but they would not help the Bears.''
Todd Nelson of Long Jetty said the reinstatement of the Bears was ''a no-brainer''.
A selection of readers did not like the idea of Darren Lockyer being the next Immortal. Many suggested Ken Irvine and one said Preston Campbell because of his role model status. ''All the existing Immortals have occupied the centre of the field. What about the game's best finisher?'' wrote Darren Welsby, stating the case for Irvine. Welsby also made the point that exotic betting should be banned: ''The experiences that cricket went through should have taught us this.''
Only one reader disagreed with Wayne Bennett as the best coach, with Karin Avvenevole of Erina choosing Tim Sheens.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...k-the-bears-20110716-1hj9d.html#ixzz1SJCNrr25

 

[clarency]

Great timing by the Bears.

Have to admit the decision to label the Brisbane bid as Bombers has done wonders media-wise. Great to see the Bears responding accordingly.

 

[TheDalek079]

not turning it into a merging discussion, but an Easts/Souffs merger has a lot of merit. but to achieve it they'd need to Do it in a way which keeps the fans happy, and preserve the history of both clubs.

Don't think the fans would support it though

 

[Red&BlackBear]

Great timing by the Bears.

Have to admit the decision to label the Brisbane bid as Bombers has done wonders media-wise. Great to see the Bears responding accordingly.

I mentioned a party-of-3 a few months ago, this is one of those. It is great timing though and the best way to respond. One bid get media coverage over a logo and brand, we get media coverage over investments and funding. If money truly is the language of the NRL, we're speaking it quite fluently at the moment.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

not turning it into a merging discussion, but an Easts/Souffs merger has a lot of merit. but to achieve it they'd need to Do it in a way which keeps the fans happy, and preserve the history of both clubs.

Don't think the fans would support it though

No way would they. Very noble of you to see the rational side of it though.

I read yesterday that the approval for the Sharks development is still 9 months away from getting the final tick from the department of planning. I got no reason to believe it won't get the rubber stamp, but if it doesn't, then Cronulla are finished as we know them. If that happens, there will definitely be a team on the Central Coast - be that the Sharks or the Bears by 2015, possibly sooner. I'm certain this is the dream scenario for the NRL and is quite possibly a reason for them putting off expansion for a couple of years.

I'd love to see the Bears back, but not at the expense of Perth or Brisbane 2.

I'd also love to see Singo's blow up if they don't get in this time.

 

[bobmar28]

Maybe the IC can help promote mergers in Sydney with a $10 million incentive.

 

[bobmar28]

Faced with a choice between the Bears and the Brisbane "Bombers" I would have to vote for the Bears. No AFL influence there. A very proud rugby league name.

In any event the Ipswich Jets should be the next franchise in 2013.

 

[beads6]

Would be extremely dumb for the NRL to let the Central Coast Bears be apart of any expansion unless it is at the expense of a Sydney side. The Bears deserve a side and I would love to see them back but they will bring nothing to the tv deal or overall expansion.

 

[LeagueXIII]

But they woulkd bring a massive feel good factor back to the game. Why wouldn't they bring anything to the TV deal? Surely a ninth game (thus more product) would increase the value of the competition.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

But they woulkd bring a massive feel good factor back to the game. Why wouldn't they bring anything to the TV deal? Surely a ninth game (thus more product) would increase the value of the competition.

Because a perth teams brings with it a perth audience, and a qld team brings another qld game for FNF..

Central coast brings diddly squat and will be a big step backwards if the NRL brings them in.

 

[Beowulf]

Faced with a choice between the Bears and the Brisbane "Bombers" I would have to vote for the Bears. No AFL influence there. A very proud rugby league name.

In any event the Ipswich Jets should be the next franchise in 2013.

Will agree that the Ipswich Jets is more community focussed and potentially more demographically appropriate for the NRL's future and thus should be the team added from SEQ in the future.....hopefully Bears, Reds and Jets will be locked in by the IC for staggered inclusion over the next 5 years.

 

[Beowulf]

I think the best bit abt the Singo/Bluetongue announcement is the fact it blows away any argument that the BEars will be diluting the sponosr potential from Sydney teams - Bluetongue wants a team desperately and have decided to go 100% with the Bears, as they believe no team will be relocated. The major sponsors are thus Bluetongue/Fortunity (Central COast) and Norths/JJ Lawson (North Sydney), none of these would ever sponsor anything other than the CC Bears, and their committment is 100% - its in Bluetongues/Norths interest to make this work.

As a sidebnote, the interest in the CC Bears has led to the NSDRL examining the reformation of 2 more junior teams on the north shore, (Lane Cove & West Pymble/St Ives) which indicates interest in the code is being stimulated here as the community re-engages with RL...precisely what D Gallop said was a major attraction of the Bears bid.

 

[Red&BlackBear]

Because a perth teams brings with it a perth audience, and a qld team brings another qld game for FNF..

Central coast brings diddly squat and will be a big step backwards if the NRL brings them in.

So Brisbane (who already have an established team) is expansion but the Central Coast (who doesn't have a team) isn't? Oh dear thats some messed up logic..

 

[POPEYE]

Central Coast is not expansion, it's implosion

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

So Brisbane (who already have an established team) is expansion but the Central Coast (who doesn't have a team) isn't? Oh dear thats some messed up logic..

Not when taken in context. SEQ has 2 teams for a population of in excess of three million.

Sydney- Newcastle - wollongong have 9 fo a population of 5 million.

the maths justifies the logic.

 

[Beowulf]

Not when taken in context. SEQ has 2 teams for a population of in excess of three million.

Sydney- Newcastle - wollongong have 9 fo a population of 5 million.

the maths justifies the logic.

And Central Coast/north Sydney has 1 million with no team and the 3rd largest corporate area in Australia. Statistics work both ways....

SEQ has had 4 failed Gold Cosat attempts and 1 failed SEQ attempt at NRL...with the Titans just keeping their head above water it sort of suggests the Broncos kill competitors in the region and another will struggle. THe strike rate for a successful franchise in SEQ is terrible, so why hurt the Bronocs and possibly fatally hurt the Titans in a potentially futile exercise? The IC will look 20-30 years ahead, not just for the TV rights deal for THIS round.

WA is a gamble, but has more national upside than another SEQ side, while the CC Bears is 100% success guaranteed and IS expansion because it reengages with northern Sydney.

The NSDRL are looking at reforming 2 junior clubs in the district because of interest rekindling in the Bears. D Gallop has said the game lost over 40K with the loss of the Bears. This will mean higher TV ratings across Australia as Bear fans are multi-generational and most club supporters have sympathy for their predicament and will support them as a second team, as they did in the 90's.

The NRL will not go with 2 gambles and IMO will stagger expansion like the AFL are doing with Suns//GWS...the easy one first allowing concentrated efforts on establishing the hard one without distraction.

Bears for 2014, WA Reds for 2015.

 

[dimitri]

and IMO will stagger expansion like the AFL are doing with Suns//GWS...the easy one first allowing concentrated efforts on establishing the hard one without distraction.

Bears for 2014, WA Reds for 2015.

dont think they should stagger

nobody likes byes

and to maximise the tv deal - they can have an extra match / extra timeslot for a whole year by bringing them in together

 

[smithie]

And Central Coast/north Sydney has 1 million with no team and the 3rd largest corporate area in Australia. Statistics work both ways....

SEQ has had 4 failed Gold Cosat attempts and 1 failed SEQ attempt at NRL...with the Titans just keeping their head above water it sort of suggests the Broncos kill competitors in the region and another will struggle. THe strike rate for a successful franchise in SEQ is terrible, so why hurt the Bronocs and possibly fatally hurt the Titans in a potentially futile exercise? The IC will look 20-30 years ahead, not just for the TV rights deal for THIS round.

WA is a gamble, but has more national upside than another SEQ side, while the CC Bears is 100% success guaranteed and IS expansion because it reengages with northern Sydney.

The NSDRL are looking at reforming 2 junior clubs in the district because of interest rekindling in the Bears. D Gallop has said the game lost over 40K with the loss of the Bears. This will mean higher TV ratings across Australia as Bear fans are multi-generational and most club supporters have sympathy for their predicament and will support them as a second team, as they did in the 90's.

The NRL will not go with 2 gambles and IMO will stagger expansion like the AFL are doing with Suns//GWS...the easy one first allowing concentrated efforts on establishing the hard one without distraction.

Bears for 2014, WA Reds for 2015.

None of the top three contenders are a gamble and the truth is we need all three, Perth, Brisbane II & Central Coast, in our national competition. The biggest gamble is to persist with 8.5 Sydney clubs in the national competition.

 

[gallagher]

So Brisbane (who already have an established team) is expansion but the Central Coast (who doesn't have a team) isn't? Oh dear thats some messed up logic..

Its better than the thinking that there wouldnt even be a bid from QLD because of the floods.how did that theory work out?