Central Coast Bears NRL Bid.

[Perth Red]

I don't see the north Sydney club wanting the bears brand to move out of nsw. Reality is if it moved to NZ or q'land the NS ownership of the Bears brand would be lost. The club would need to have a management in that city and the link to the NS Bears would be in name only with maybe a few die hards in Sydney supporting them at nsw away games. Are NS management prepared to let the Bears brand go? What would be in it for NS?

CQ and Murphy would want total ownership
WARL would want ownership and have a brand they are building
Wellington have no bid so hard to say
Bombers and Davison will won't total control.
Western Corridor seem to possibly be the Bears best hope of a partnership that would give NS some say/seats on the board. Western Brisbane Bears maybe?

The real dark horse could be a proposal for an Adelaide Bears. NS could own the club. Would require a ballsy decision by the NRL to make a AFL style decision and invest heavily if they felt it strategically important in the long term to have Adelaide in the comp.

 

[Clarke]

Looking at the new NRL CEO's comments this week I think the Bears need a plan B and quick. It is clear they want a more National footprint and another NSW club isn't going to meet that objective.

True but to what extend he meant by his words is subjective. Saying the game wants a more national footprint could mean the Central Coast Bears are no chance with two bids team coming in or it could mean that West Coast & Central Coast will be the new teams in - that would still give the game a more national footprint.

 

[Red&BlackBear]

Geez you assume alot of things Perth Red.. You have a go at Beowulf for having an opinion on other bids financial situations yet you blatantly assume who and where would welcome the Bears if they move interstate. Matter of fact is anyone including WA will welcome the Bears if Norths guarantee $$$$$. CQ would welcome the Bears if Norths guarantee $$$$. As would Brisbane, Ipswich, Adelaide, Wellington and bloody Shanghai. What needs to be spoken on is what happens to the Central Coast, the structure of rugby league there and Bluetongue Stadium. If the Bears are forced interstate so be it, keeps to brand alive but what about the CC? Wouldn't it look like we're abandoning them? I think David Smith should firstly talk to Florimo in private and tell us where we stand as the Central Coast Bears before anyone starting jumping the gun and assuming our future.

 

[Perth Red]

Not assumptions, just educated guesses. How are NS going to put millions of $'s into a potential Bears interstate club?

 

[Red&BlackBear]

Not assumptions, just educated guesses. How are NS going to put millions of $'s into a potential Bears interstate club?

Norths Group are a fairly wealthy organization. Not quite as wealthy as Panthers for example whom own alot of clubs but Norths Group are up there. Norths Group already have connections to a team in NSW and a team in QLD. There is also other wealthy investors whom just want the Bears back, considering the bid is Central Coast then that's where they'll look to invest on conditions of a license. But if we're told to look elsewhere then I'm positive they'll still invest.

A side note, if the NRL say we don't want the Central Coast but would like the Bears in say QLD or WA or NZ then I'd expect nothing short of a license being granted straight away. I mean a club can barely survive after being told to relocate and promised a license which is then broken.. But what if its done twice? What if the NRL encourage Bears to move to QLD only to turn around and deny a license? I wouldn't put it past them.

 

[Perth Red]

Different times, I very much doubt the ARLC would do that. I just hope they bring clarity to the situation ASAP so people know what their intent is.

 

[bobmar28]

True but to what extend he meant by his words is subjective. Saying the game wants a more national footprint could mean the Central Coast Bears are no chance with two bids team coming in or it could mean that West Coast & Central Coast will be the new teams in - that would still give the game a more national footprint.

It would also give NSW 11 teams. That isn't real expansion.

 

[Diesel]

I think it's good that the Bears would consider relocation if it meant them having a team in another area. I hope they are granted the CC after the shit they went thru but if they were based elsewhere then at least the team is back and would play in Sydney/Central Coast at least 8 times a year

 

[GAZF]

I think it's good that the Bears would consider relocation if it meant them having a team in another area. I hope they are granted the CC after the shit they went thru but if they were based elsewhere then at least the team is back and would play in Sydney/Central Coast at least 8 times a year

I'd hope that the NRL would dangle the carrot to other clubs to play a re-relocated (probably Qld) Bears team at least 6 times a year. Maybe Souths, Roosters, Dogs, Eels, Tigers and Sea-Eagles and possibly 2 Bears home games against lower drawing teams (in Qld).

 

[Henri Cartier-Bresson]

I don't think you can call the Norths-CC relationship hedging our bets. The CC was directly part of the North Sydney catchment (like Manly) from 1908 to 1947. After then, the CC continued to wear red and black as their rep colours till the 1980's, when they changed to yellow and blue. The Bears have always been the 'natural' feeder area for the Coast, and the Bears since 1980 identified the northern part of their 'natural' zone would be their future home - Chatswood, Hornsby and the CC were identified and in 1991 serious relocation was attempted, but a few local CC clubs objected. The Bears persisted, in 1997 changed their name in anticipation to the CC Bears and we know what happened after the Bears committed everything to the Coast and stadium. Despite Manly removing themselves after the JV failed, the Bears remained in the community, trying to get the side up and running, have opened offices at Erina, employed locals, donated to charities, assisted with fundraising, assisted local RL clubs, you name it. I personally have committed over 1000 hours over the past few years as a volunteer, forgoing all that time with my young family to get the CC a team. So to say the Bears are not committed is disappointing to read...

Despite zero support from anyone, only the Bears have committed to the region. Nothing has changed, and all the discussions on recent pages only relate to a scenario IF the CC is rejected by the LEAGUE.

If the NRL do say forget the CC, and the NRL & Bears decide that they look for a JV interstate to keep the brand alive (many suggest the NS Bears will fold if this bid fails), isn't that understandable? Any anger should surely be directed at the NRL/News/unsupportive clubs, not Bears.

Yeah I agree with most of that Beowulf (although the bit about being Norths "natural feeder area" prior to 1947 is a stretch - the CC League structure was a rabble prior to 47, with no help coming from anywhere really, and after that they became a junior area, milked mercilously by Lakes Utd in the Newcastle comp).

My point was simply that by airing publicly, crazy plans of relocation to Wellington, or Queensland, PNG, Kenya, Venus etc ... is firstly just crazy talk ... and secondly, only acts to undermine the bid you people have worked so hard to bring to fruition.

Sadly if the Central Coast bid fails - then I can't see that the Bears will ever be back at the elite level ... so any weak kneed wavering right now is just bloody insane.

If the bid is ultimately rejected, then, and IMHO only then, you have all of eternity to hatch pie in the sky schemes of moving to Dubbo or Darwin ...

That was my only point.
Stay strong and stay on message!

 

[GAZF]

Yeah I agree with most of that Beowulf (although the bit about being Norths "natural feeder area" prior to 1947 is a stretch - the CC League structure was a rabble prior to 47, with no help coming from anywhere really, and after that they became a junior area, milked mercilously by Lakes Utd in the Newcastle comp).

My point was simply that by airing publicly, crazy plans of relocation to Wellington, or Queensland, PNG, Kenya, Venus etc ... is firstly just crazy talk ... and secondly, only acts to undermine the bid you people have worked so hard to bring to fruition.

Sadly if the Central Coast bid fails - then I can't see that the Bears will ever be back at the elite level ... so any weak kneed wavering right now is just bloody insane.

If the bid is ultimately rejected, then, and IMHO only then, you have all of eternity to hatch pie in the sky schemes of moving to Dubbo or Darwin ...

That was my only point.
Stay strong and stay on message!

If the NRL nominates the regions it intends to expand, and the CC is left off of the agenda, then it would be wise for the Bears to consider merging their bid with another with the aim of engaging both the Coast and the other expansion region. Its a far more palatable scenario when compared to the CC never having a club which is likely if the current Bears bid is rejected. The other merging bid would immediately benefit from the existing brand of the Bears as well as immediately establishing a secondary fanbase in the CC/North Shore region.

The merger would also likely have two feeder regions which gives more flexibility to fringe first graders in where they are based. As said beforehand, a Qld bid combining with the Bears has many merits and could potentially make them one of the stronger clubs in the comp with less groundwork required compared to other bids.

 

[Lockyer4President!]

The Bears will live or die by the C Coast. If they don't get in this round then they should keep pushing for inclusion in the next round. They'll get in eventually as the CC is a growing area.

Brisbane has lost too many famous teams already, saving a Sydney club by sending it to Brisbane when historic Brisbane clubs are still dying is not going to win them any fans here.

 

[Red&BlackBear]

Seeing Bluetongue Stadium draped in red and black from the Wanderers in the A League was an awesome site. Unfortunate that its the wrong team, in the wrong sport

 

[GAZF]

The Bears will live or die by the C Coast. If they don't get in this round then they should keep pushing for inclusion in the next round. They'll get in eventually as the CC is a growing area.

With the NRL seemingly pushing for a national footprint, will there be enough spaces to allow for the Central Coast to get accepted? This round of expansion is absolutely crucial to their chances of playing full-time on the Coast, being a resident myself, I'd rather reduce the risk and at least see the Bears playing here in some capacity rather than go out guns blazing and never getting a local team.

Brisbane has lost too many famous teams already, saving a Sydney club by sending it to Brisbane when historic Brisbane clubs are still dying is not going to win them any fans here.

And its unlikely these dying Brisbane clubs would gain entry to the NRL, if one gets in it isolates the fans of other local clubs. SEQ expansion will most likely be from a brand new bid (WC, Bombers), just as it was with the Broncos. Unlike the Broncos, the Bears have had an organic history, have ties to Queensland RL with past players. It seemed to work for the Lions in getting fans on board originally, the challenge would be in keeping the fans interested in Brisbane.

 

[Perth Red]

I think smith's comment about not just an eastern seaboard game was the most telling. If tnat means they have the balls to expand to Perth/Adelaide or png at the same time is doubtful but who knows? If I was the Bears I would be asking the question now about the CC chances so they have time to develop a plan B by review time at end of 2014.

As said a Brisbane/CQ Bears playing 4 "away" games at Gosford may be the answer?

 

[Lockyer4President!]

With the NRL seemingly pushing for a national footprint, will there be enough spaces to allow for the Central Coast to get accepted? This round of expansion is absolutely crucial to their chances of playing full-time on the Coast, being a resident myself, I'd rather reduce the risk and at least see the Bears playing here in some capacity rather than go out guns blazing and never getting a local team.



And its unlikely these dying Brisbane clubs would gain entry to the NRL, if one gets in it isolates the fans of other local clubs. SEQ expansion will most likely be from a brand new bid (WC, Bombers), just as it was with the Broncos. Unlike the Broncos, the Bears have had an organic history, have ties to Queensland RL with past players. It seemed to work for the Lions in getting fans on board originally, the challenge would be in keeping the fans interested in Brisbane.

Why is this round so crucial for the Bears? Of all the bids the are the ones for whom time means the least. They are an existing club with existing fans and sponsors in an established region. They can just continue to plug away in the lower grades and at the same time actively pushing expansion. When the CC reaches critical mass they'll be accepted.

As for Brisbane, I didn't say these Brisbane clubs will make it to the NRL or even that they have aspirations to do so. I'm pointing out that Brisbane fans in general won't take kindly to watching their own teams die while a Sydney club gets special treatment.

 

[GAZF]

Why is this round so crucial for the Bears? Of all the bids the are the ones for whom time means the least. They are an existing club with existing fans and sponsors in an established region. They can just continue to plug away in the lower grades and at the same time actively pushing expansion. When the CC reaches critical mass they'll be accepted.

There are limited spaces for expansion (maybe 4) and the NRL needs to prioritise which areas will best improve the code's national footprint. If 2 spots are taken up by other teams in the next round, then there are only 2 left. If more equally serious bids in expansion markets spring up over the next ten years, what will the ARLC do, strengthen the heartland or make the game more national?

As for Brisbane, I didn't say these Brisbane clubs will make it to the NRL or even that they have aspirations to do so. I'm pointing out that Brisbane fans in general won't take kindly to watching their own teams die while a Sydney club gets special treatment.

I don't think the two are really related for starters; one would be at the national tier, administered directly by the ARLC and the others a level or two down from that and administered by the QRL. They would also be subject to separate funding independent of whether the Bears were there or not.

 

[Perth Red]

Seems there is two issues, 1. How to get the Bears back in the NRL so the historic brand isn't lost and what fanbase and corporate support their is left for them isn't lost 2. How to engage with Gosford and ensure the CC region remains a strong RL area. Whilst closely connected at the moment the two are not necessarily inclusive issues to each other. If Dave Smith tells the Bears that CC is definately in with a chance and then in 2014 announces Perth and Brisbane2 or another are in then it will be a disgrace as they will have missed the opportunity to resolve both issues. That doesn't mean they have to admit the CC Bears but they should at least be honest and up front and let the Bears know now their future lies elsewhere and let the RL fans on the CC know what the NRL is going to do to keep them engaged.

 

[BuffaloRules]

What current Brisbane team is putting their hand up for NRL inclusion?

The Bombers?

 

[Perth Red]

Bombers and western corridor