Qatar sheik worth an estimated $60 billion wants to invest in the NRL

[beave]

Sounds like one of those Nigerian prince scams to me...

 

[RazorRam0n]

the only clubs who'd be interesting in his investment would either be privatised clubs or public clubs struggling to make ends meet.

that rules out about half the comp

 

[Mr Angry]

What clubs are for sale?

Only the Titans as far as I know, and they have bidders already.

 

[Diesel]

Even if this is a publicity stunt, notice how these billionaires want to invest in RL, and not AFL

 

[Diesel]

What clubs are for sale?

Only the Titans as far as I know, and they have bidders already.

Warriors too

 

[King hit]

I wouldn't accept this. Qatar is a slave state in the 21st century, imports foreign workers and kills them, homosexuality is illegal, women are treated like garbage, it funds terrorism, supports sharia law. The list is endless.

 

[RazorRam0n]

What clubs are for sale?

Only the Titans as far as I know, and they have bidders already.

public clubs need to vote for privatisation, they wouldn't be tempted by a "buyout" unless their ability to exist was threatened

even if not for sale, a private club like even the broncos could be taken over if the money is attractive enough

 

[Rabbit toes]

Stopped reading at Dean Ritchie

 

[Stormwarrior82]

I’m not sure why this is so bad?

Now I’ll admit, care definitey needs to be taken but if enough rules and structure is put in place the Nrl would be rediculous to knock back millions of dollars in funding. Multimillionaires, billionaires, like twiggy, Tinkler, koukash or even sheik Pqwlahdycbeic need to be kept on a leash but at the same time allowed input in ideas to promote the game. Help with local stadium funding, sponsor 2 new expansion teams $25mil each, taking rep comps overseas, create comps (like twiggy), if they want to help fund clubs they could even help pay the $200mil+ funding bill the Nrl pays every year to clubs. Even have the sheik talk to the RLIF and instigate something there. This could be the game changer rugby league needs and kick starts the truely international game.

All I’m saying is that if it is true what’s being published in the media and a billionaire with shed loads of money and friends with even more want to help out our code, we would be complete idiots, not to try and make something happen.

 

[Generalzod]

i just call him Al

 

[Coparugby]

i'll believe it when i see it

The government of Oman put $40k into this junior club in Sydney just because they were asked. The same business man has the connections in Qatar.

I’ll still believe it when I see it though.
http://www.theleader.com.au/story/3918906/omani-sponsor-helps-juniors/

 

[coolsteve]

fmd he only 6th richest sheik. Neville nobody

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Can just see an indonesian team right now. There would be 17 Alfie Langer midgets running around for them........

The average Australian man is about 5foot6, dumpy and balding. These arent the ones who make elite sporting teams...

I understand that their is a sterio type of Asian people being slim and small (which generally holds true). But in a population of 300million, do you really think their arent a dozen blokes with a little bit of height and muscle?

 

[JamesRustle]

He'd be better than Sheik Petros Bin Doust Al Flogger... and would add spice to the Dragons v. Sharks derby.

 

[TheDMC]

This shit is playing with absolute f*cking fire, but these are the sorts of risks RL needs to take to grow...

Obviously this is a PR stunt, but thats not a negative for RL. And, if it is successful, it will show the potential RL has and maybe bring other rich philanthropists looking to get in on the ground floor.

Well a Sheikh owns Manchester City FC, a Thai duty free businessman owns Leicester City FC, and a Russian oligarch owns Chelsea FC. If a billionaire Somali pirate wants to buy the Warriors I am totally for it.

 

[The Great Dane]

Well a Sheikh owns Manchester City FC, a Thai duty free businessman owns Leicester City FC, and a Russian oligarch owns Chelsea FC. If a billionaire Somali pirate wants to buy the Warriors I am totally for it.

A Qatari Sheikh own PSG...

 

[The Great Dane]

I've got no problem with this guy investing as much money as he likes into the sport, or if he wants to buy a team I've got no problem with that either.

However things could go south really quickly if we're not careful, all it would take is one smear piece about him being connected to something untoward, or for the Qataris to try and segregate sexes at a game in Qatar, or some other stupid shit like that, and things could go south really quickly once all the usual suspects come out and start flinging mud.

But as long as the NRL and any other group he may be interested in keeps their heads on and tell him to keep his head down for a few months if that happens it should be fine.

 

[BuffaloRules]

This story smells of off season fluff to fill some space in the paper between Ashes tests...

 

[taipan]

Sounds like one of those Nigerian prince scams to me...

I wouldn't accept this. Qatar is a slave state in the 21st century, imports foreign workers and kills them, homosexuality is illegal, women are treated like garbage, it funds terrorism, supports sharia law. The list is endless.

Yet it's OK for soccer to have a world cup there.Where's the protests by the "concerned" public?

 

[juro]

Yet it's OK for soccer to have a world cup there.Where's the protests by the "concerned" public?

Not sure why you were quoting me with your reply. My post was suggesting there may be no real money at the other end. You know the saying: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.