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Marwan Koukash: I'll turn rugby league into a global sport
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...lobal-sport-20140719-zuti0.html#ixzz380KOvoVp
Marwan Koukash is prepared to shift to Australia to realise his dream of owning an NRL club, claiming he can help transform rugby league into a truly international game.
Koukash owns the Salford Red Devils, saving them from financial ruin, and is keen to add an Australian club to his portfolio. The British billionaire has been linked to Newcastle but refused to confirm which NRL clubs he is negotiating with.
The man whose net worth is estimated at $3 billion revealed he is in negotiations to stage a nines tournament, featuring NRL and Super League clubs, in Dubai. However, his priority is to take a stake of an Australian franchise, preferably as a sole owner.
"There are plenty of advantages in being involved on both sides of the world. It would help to globalise the sport," Koukash said from Dubai
"At the end of the day, every marathon starts with a step. Rugby league, I've always said it, is one of the most exciting sports in the world. Some people might say I'm biased but it's much more exciting to watch than rugby union. We just need to believe in that, in what we're doing.
"If you look at my track record in racing, I don't take part in the sport for
the sake of taking part. I will always, whatever I do, turn it into a success."
Koukash, who has brought horses to Australia to race in the Melbourne Cup,
is expecting to enter "at least two more" runners this November.
He could have a hard time convincing Novocastrians about private ownership following the disastrous reign of another racing identity, Nathan Tinkler.
However, Koukash insists he will be in it for the long haul.
"My family absolutely adore being in Australia. We did start talking about the possibility of moving over to Australia," he said.
"Some people say I'm more Australian than Australians. I love it, that way of life suits me very well.
"I'll probably be working towards moving to Australia and I couldn't see myself without being involved in racing and rugby league. These are my two passions now.
"I'm genuine, I'm not a bullshitter. It's early stages [in discussions with NRL clubs] and hopefully progress can be made over the next two to three weeks. For me it would be a dream come true to be involved. If it's not 100 per cent ownership, then part ownership. I love my rugby league."
Koukash said he is using his business connections to expand rugby league internationally.
"I've started talking to people about the possibility of having a nines competition here in Dubai," he said.
"This is a sporting country. When they had the sevens here over three days there were 180,000 people.
"We're talking something similar to the Auckland nines here. You could keep that one in Auckland and one here with Super League and NRL clubs. That's more international. I see the nines as a way of globalising the sport.
"We used to have five-day Test cricket and then we had the 50-over game and the shorter form to help popularise the sport overall. I see this similarly, The nines can help globalise the sport."
While Tinkler's Hunter Sports Group's tenure has raised fresh concerns over private ownership of rugby league clubs, Koukash believes it can work.
"You can't buy success," he said.
"Whatever club I run - and I'm not saying it's Newcastle - it's not all about [money]. You can see in my involvement with Salford, it's the passion I have. I'm not a boardroom owner, I'm a fans' owner.
"I am different to your typical owner. I'm not in the directors' box, I will be on the terraces with the fans jumping up and down."
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...lobal-sport-20140719-zuti0.html#ixzz380JoGIos
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...lobal-sport-20140719-zuti0.html#ixzz380KOvoVp
Marwan Koukash is prepared to shift to Australia to realise his dream of owning an NRL club, claiming he can help transform rugby league into a truly international game.
Koukash owns the Salford Red Devils, saving them from financial ruin, and is keen to add an Australian club to his portfolio. The British billionaire has been linked to Newcastle but refused to confirm which NRL clubs he is negotiating with.
The man whose net worth is estimated at $3 billion revealed he is in negotiations to stage a nines tournament, featuring NRL and Super League clubs, in Dubai. However, his priority is to take a stake of an Australian franchise, preferably as a sole owner.
"There are plenty of advantages in being involved on both sides of the world. It would help to globalise the sport," Koukash said from Dubai
"At the end of the day, every marathon starts with a step. Rugby league, I've always said it, is one of the most exciting sports in the world. Some people might say I'm biased but it's much more exciting to watch than rugby union. We just need to believe in that, in what we're doing.
"If you look at my track record in racing, I don't take part in the sport for
the sake of taking part. I will always, whatever I do, turn it into a success."
Koukash, who has brought horses to Australia to race in the Melbourne Cup,
is expecting to enter "at least two more" runners this November.
He could have a hard time convincing Novocastrians about private ownership following the disastrous reign of another racing identity, Nathan Tinkler.
However, Koukash insists he will be in it for the long haul.
"My family absolutely adore being in Australia. We did start talking about the possibility of moving over to Australia," he said.
"Some people say I'm more Australian than Australians. I love it, that way of life suits me very well.
"I'll probably be working towards moving to Australia and I couldn't see myself without being involved in racing and rugby league. These are my two passions now.
"I'm genuine, I'm not a bullshitter. It's early stages [in discussions with NRL clubs] and hopefully progress can be made over the next two to three weeks. For me it would be a dream come true to be involved. If it's not 100 per cent ownership, then part ownership. I love my rugby league."
Koukash said he is using his business connections to expand rugby league internationally.
"I've started talking to people about the possibility of having a nines competition here in Dubai," he said.
"This is a sporting country. When they had the sevens here over three days there were 180,000 people.
"We're talking something similar to the Auckland nines here. You could keep that one in Auckland and one here with Super League and NRL clubs. That's more international. I see the nines as a way of globalising the sport.
"We used to have five-day Test cricket and then we had the 50-over game and the shorter form to help popularise the sport overall. I see this similarly, The nines can help globalise the sport."
While Tinkler's Hunter Sports Group's tenure has raised fresh concerns over private ownership of rugby league clubs, Koukash believes it can work.
"You can't buy success," he said.
"Whatever club I run - and I'm not saying it's Newcastle - it's not all about [money]. You can see in my involvement with Salford, it's the passion I have. I'm not a boardroom owner, I'm a fans' owner.
"I am different to your typical owner. I'm not in the directors' box, I will be on the terraces with the fans jumping up and down."
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...lobal-sport-20140719-zuti0.html#ixzz380JoGIos
