Wake Bears from hibernation
Source: The Daily Telegraph
RUGBY league fans have spoken. They want NRL expansion in 2013 - and the Central Coast Bears top their bid list.
That's the verdict to come out of The Daily Telegraph's exclusive online survey, with more than 8000 fans issuing an emphatic message to the game's administrators.
Of the votes polled so far, an astonishing 66.9 per cent want expansion, with 62.8 per cent declaring 18 was the magic number of NRL teams.
On top of that, 68.9 per cent voted for expansion to take place in 2013, while 51.4 per cent say the Bears must return to the NRL.
"David Gallop has said to us all along that he will let us know mid-year what our chances are," said Central Coast Bears head of football operations David Fairleigh.
"They have said all along, 'present us with a compelling case' ... and we've got a compelling case."
And here it is.
The heartland
From Sydney to the Central Coast, you can make the trip by car in just over an hour.
So why then has it taken so long to drive home to the game's bosses that this footballing heartland deserves its own team?
It's the one question Fairleigh asks himself every day of his life - and by the looks of our survey results, he's not on his own.
As he said: "The biggest point is what can we bring to the game? How can having an NRL team on the Central Coast add value to the game? And show us how you guys can be sustainable for the next 50, 100 years ... forever?"
HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE NRL FAN SURVEY HERE
But Fairleigh outlined a compelling argument that includes statistics like:
THE Bears have a catchment stretching from Kirribilli to Lake Munmorah, taking in one million people, nearly 20 per cent of NSW's population;
THE bid provides an opportunity to grow the game via re-engagement of the entire northern corridor of Sydney;
ALL up, the region boasts 23 rugby league clubs and more than 7000 junior players;
BUSINESSMAN Ken Sayer from Mortgage House is prepared to bankroll the bid for "whatever it takes";
SAYER is also almost certain to take ownership of the franchise, similar to Nathan Tinkler's plan at the Newcastle Knights; and
THE Bears have just under 5600 financial members and 62 foundation members chipping in $5500 each.
"There is no doubt we are going to be sustainable as a club. There is no grey area about that whatsoever," Fairleigh said. "We've just got to keep the pressure on."
The defence
How can David Gallop make a commitment to expansion in 2013 if the independent commission is not yet up and running?
Only last week Gallop said he would be willing to look at expansion mid-year - but said there were no guarantees.
"As I've said to the various bid teams, they need to have a sustainable model not just for their own district but they need to be bringing something to the table that everyone can benefit from," Gallop told The Daily Telegraph.
"Be it increasing the game's national profile which will help with the broadcasting sponsorship, or it's shoring up a strategic area ...
"The merit of a team at Gosford is obvious. You've got a ready-made stadium, a population that loves the game, potential to reconnect to the traditional North Sydney fans, the corporate support of the North Shore.
"But to be fair, they are still working on their financial model. I think they would say it is not quite ready to present."But Fairleigh maintains it's close to complete.
TV rights
Regardless of when the independent commission is finalised, the timing of the next TV deal is set in stone. And 2013 is shaping up as the ideal time to bring in new NRL bargaining power.
Because Brisbane represents the third-biggest population market in Australia, there will be a huge push for a second Brisbane team. Gallop has also admitted that Perth represents a wonderful market to grow the game.
But if you take the results in our survey into consideration, people power is well and truly behind the Bears.
"Look, they're all compelling reasons," Fairleigh said.
"I don't think there is any doubt there will be expansion. It's just a matter of timing.
"The AFL's expanding, soccer's expanding, the Mariners' foothold on the Central Coast gets stronger and stronger, the Sydney Swans have just announced they are introducing an enormous program on the Central Coast. So we feel our timing is right.
"The longer we hold off, the more ground rugby league loses. And if you break down our membership, of 5600 members, it's a 70/30 split. So 70 per cent of those members are Central Coast-based people.
"We think we can add value to the game by reconnection to the North Shore. We know that other codes are trying to make inroads on the North Shore.
"The business districts in North Sydney are in the top five commercial regions in Australia. There are a number of businesses that are looking to get back into the game.
"And this is a rugby league heartland. But to be fair, the NRL knows that, and they have said that."
The verdict
The fans have spoken - now Gallop must wait for the independent commission before a final decision is made.
But comments recently from Gold Coast boss Michael Searle hit a nerve with all expansion bid teams. Searle has played a significant hand in the development of the commission, but his comments that expansion wouldn't happen for at least five years didn't go unnoticed.
"It does annoy me," Fairleigh said. "We can deliver an NRL team to a region of one million people. We can deliver a sustainable team.
"We can deliver pathways for the 7000 juniors. We can be self-sufficient. We've got all the support we need."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/wake-bears-from-hibernation/story-e6frexnr-1226003334396
