Central Coast Bears - Stand Aside

[derp]

Bears' base 5000 and growing strong

Congrats all you need now is a team

THE Central Coast Bears received a boost to their campaign to be re-admitted to the NRL in 2013 when the 5000th member signed recently.


Bears boss Greg Florimo said they had met their objective of reaching 5000 members before March 31, when they will present their bid document to the NRL.


“We have easily achieved this goal, which underlines the groundswell of support for an NRL team based on the Central Coast,” he said.


“I also urge every one of our 5000-plus members to encourage family members, work colleagues and friends to sign up.


“One more member each, and we could potentially crack 10,000 members, which sends a very strong message to the rugby league community that the Central Coast is serious about supporting a team in the game’s elite competition.”


The Bears have vigorously recruited through membership drives at shopping centres, school fetes and community events on the Central Coast and North Shore.


Wyong rugby league junior Daniel Langbridge is the Bears’ 5000th member.


“I was stoked when Flo (Greg Florimo) called,” he said.


“I couldn’t believe that I was the 5000th member.


“I can’t wait for a Central Coast team in the NRL so all local juniors, like me, have a team to aspire to play for.”


Bears head of football operations David Fairleigh said the Bears have 23 junior clubs and more than 7000 junior players.


“All of these plus our engagement within the Central Coast and North Shore communities and our sustainable business model add up to what we see as a compelling bid for the NRL.”


http://north-shore-times.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/bears-base-5000-and-growing-strong/

 

[Red&BlackBear]

Here come the Bears! The mighty mighty Bears!

 

[BDGS]

Gould, Bennett could go with Bears to NRL
Ben Horne
18:11 AEST Thu Jan 20 2011



Central Coast Bears are considering taking two of the game's most influential figures with them when they make their final proposal to David Gallop for readmission to the NRL.


Super coaches Wayne Bennett and Phil Gould have supported the Bears' bid from the outset, for the way it expands the game to a rugby league heartland and brings back the tradition of a foundation club.


Bears chief executive Greg Florimo says the official presentation is still to be finalised, but having Bennett and Gould there in person would have its advantages.


"We've underlined the key stakeholders or certainly the key commentators in the game to ask for their support and I think they'll carry a lot of weight in their thinking and the (imminent) independent commission's thinking," said Florimo, who at this stage is aiming to lodge the proposal in late March.


"The actual presentation and how the bid looks when we go to the NRL is obviously still being engineered and we've engaged a company to do that.


"It's about working out exactly what strengths we have to portray and how best to deliver that.


"If that means we've got Phil Gould and Wayne Bennett in the room when we present, well that might be the case, but I'm not sure if that's the actual tact we'll follow at the moment."


The insight into the make-up of their final bid comes on the back of the Bears' board accepting a $10 million deal in principle with Mortgage House to underwrite the club's ownership.


Florimo revealed the club has now cracked the 5000 member mark, with 70 per cent of those members central coast locals.


Perth and central Queensland bids have also gained publicity of late, but Florimo said Graham Annesley has indicated the Central Coast model is the front-runner.


A decision on expansion is expected to be made by the NRL mid year.


"We've met with Graham Annesley a couple of times in the past few months and all along he's stated that the Bears is the most advanced," he said.


"And that's given we have a large membership base now, more than 5000 members and there's a number of other elements of our bid that perhaps aren't there in the other bids, i.e the stadium.


"He's made it clear to us that we're the most advanced of the bids."


At the NRL ceo's conference at the end of last year, the majority of club bosses indicated they were more supportive of expansion to Perth and central Queensland than they were to the Central Coast.


But Florimo said it was a misconception that the Bears would be a threat to Sydney clubs keen to guard their patch.


"I think there's enough value on the coast and on the north shore to sustain a team so it doesn't impact on other clubs, it's a massive franchise area," he said.


http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8199725

ninemsn article, noice.

 

[adamkungl]

Hopefully Bennett is behind the bid. Admittedly there's no quote from him in that article. Would certainly give a leg up to them if Bennett is behind CC rather than Ipswich or CQ

 

[BDGS]

Yep, no quote from him in that article but he has been quoted before on this topic.

Straight off the bears home page, for those who haven't seen it.

 

[Red&BlackBear]

Florimo also quoted annesley. For those who still think sayer made it up.. Please successful people like him rarely have to make up stuff. Go the Bears

 

[jasonstevenswedgie]

wow the quote says that you have the most advanced bid. Quick lets get excited.

but lets not ignore the facts

 

[BDGS]

Nobody but anti-bear fans seem to be ignoring the facts.

 

[jasonstevenswedgie]

are you an ostrich. mate if i was told that i would be worried about my bid

what no straws this time or did you draw the short one

 

[Timmah]

:lol: If you're going to try rubbishing a bid and saying "look at the facts", try presenting some. There has been very little in the way of substance from those opposed to the Bears bid.

 

[dgsfan]

Still waiting for the fact that the Bears were the second most watched team in the 90s. This seems to get brought up a lot by pro-bear nuts but has never been proven. Lies I suspect.

 

[Perth Red]

At the NRL ceo's conference at the end of last year, the majority of club bosses indicated they were more supportive of expansion to Perth and central Queensland than they were to the Central Coast.


I thought it was only two? If we can't believe this part of the article should we believe the rest?

 

[Beowulf]

Still waiting for the fact that the Bears were the second most watched team in the 90s. This seems to get brought up a lot by pro-bear nuts but has never been proven. Lies I suspect.

Will post when source found as mentioned on another thread. You only requested it a few minutes ago on another thread. If you pay me I'll make it a priority, but my rates are steep. On the off chance it is incorrect, I'll retract, but I'd be amazed if it is wrong or far off, given the Bears were successful in the 90's and were very popular in both NSW and QLD.

And before you say it, there's more to a Club and it's community than winning the comp!

 

[RWB]

Is there any plan to have a feeder club up and running in 2012? I think the two new clubs might struggle as it's already well publicised when they'll be entering the comp so a lot of clubs will be tying up their best and younger players. I always thought the main thing that held the Titans back from instant success was their depth.

An SG Ball & HM + reserve grade at the least for CC wouldn't go astray imo, critical to start developing some locals now.

 

[Beowulf]

At the NRL ceo's conference at the end of last year, the majority of club bosses indicated they were more supportive of expansion to Perth and central Queensland than they were to the Central Coast.


I thought it was only two? If we can't believe this part of the article should we believe the rest?

There was hardly any opposition to the WA or CQLD bid, true. There were 2 teams strongly opposed to Central Coast and 1 lukewarm at best - rest were fine. As of today, any plausible objections of one club (Newcastle) evaporate.

 

[dgsfan]

I've actually asked for the source quite a few times. Each time it has been ignored. I wait with bated breath.

 

[BDGS]

Is there any plan to have a feeder club up and running in 2012? I think the two new clubs might struggle as it's already well publicised when they'll be entering the comp so a lot of clubs will be tying up their best and younger players. I always thought the main thing that held the Titans back from instant success was their depth.

An SG Ball & HM + reserve grade at the least for CC wouldn't go astray imo, critical to start developing some locals now.

The central coast centurions are developing central coast talent in the SG and HM comps.

Unlike the NSW cup CC centurions they have no connections to the Newcastle knights apart from playing with the knights logo on their jersey like they do in the NSW cup.

Some people are very angry that they were that logo on the jersey even though it's run without knights help.

That's not to say the knights do not help put the NSW cup centurions because they do.

 

[BDGS]

I've actually asked for the source quite a few times. Each time it has been ignored. I wait with bated breath.

If 2/3 if your comments weren't utter garbage maybe people would take more note of your post, when an actual enquiry is made.

 

[BrisVegas]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/rug-pulled-from-under-bear-cheek/story-fn6ck6f9-1225991971556

Rug pulled from under Bear cheek
Steve Ricketts From: The Courier-Mail January 21, 2011 12:01AM

CENTRAL Coast Bears were brought down to earth by the NRL yesterday after claiming to be more advanced with their expansion bid than rival consortiums.

Bears chief executive Greg Florimo indicated there were a number of elements in the Central Coast bid that Central Queensland and Ipswich could not match.

Florimo, a former North Sydney captain, said the Bears had met with NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley several times in recent months and he had indicated they were more advanced than their rivals.

"That's given we have a large membership base, more than 5000, and there's a number of elements of our bid that perhaps aren't there in the other bids, i.e. the stadium," Florimo said.

But Annesley said last night he was not sure whether he had given the Bears such cause for optimism.

"A number of areas are well advanced," Annesley said. "They all have pluses and minuses.

"Yes, the Bears have a stadium. But that is just one part of the equation. Central Queensland have been promised a stadium.

"But there are no frontrunners because expansion is not on the agenda at the moment."

Mining magnate Nathan Tinkler's bid to buy the Newcastle Knights could be followed by a Hunter Valley team in the National Basketball League.

Tinkler Sports Group executive chairman Ken Edwards revealed yesterday they were in discussions with a number of sports.

Tinkler has guaranteed the Knights a minimum of $100 million of corporate sponsorship and hospitality over 10 years.

He also has promised members will control club colours, the name and home ground, and profits would stay in the community.

 

[Perth Red]

Hate to say I told you so!