The Unusual Suspects - Case for Teams 21/22 in 2040 & Beyond.

[flippikat]

This isn't a shot at you but it's strange to me that everyone generally agrees mergers were one of the worst things to happen in the SL War but are happy to try and repeat the same mistakes for BNE3.

Easts Tigers and the Ipswich Jets are as far apart demographically/culturally as the Roosters and Penrith. You don't just combine the colours and hope all will be well. Merging them is how you kill two identities and come up with the WT on steroids.

It's the same issue with Ipswich & Newtown, two totally different clubs that only share four letters in common.

The last thing we want is another compromised club in the NRL. Either we bring in the Ipswich Jets and the NRL helps them financially knowing that they'll eventually be a powerhouse, or we bring in the Tigers (aka Redcliffe v2). We can't just throw everything into the pot and hope it mixes well. We know it doesn't work.

One way it could conceivably work is if Brisbane Easts own & run the NRL club but uses the Jets branding, licensed from Ipswich - in return for a licensing fee back to Ipswich that can be put into junior league in the area (thus increasing the player pool).

A bit unusual, but such an arrangement means a fresh Brisbane Easts bid can be made using something better than the Firehawks idea, Ipswich get their brand in the NRL (plus junior funding!), and one of the wealthiest clubs in Brisbane gets a place at the big table.

 

[Perth Red]

Could they just be called Brisbane Easts? Come up with some logo accordingly? Make them unique as not having an Americanized brand. Doesn't seem to bother football clubs no to have animals.

 

[flippikat]

Could they just be called Brisbane Easts? Come up with some logo accordingly? Make them unique as not having an Americanized brand. Doesn't seem to bother football clubs no to have animals.

Potentially, but the talk is that the Western Corridor is what's really appealing from a population aspect. I imagine a club branded as Brisbane Easts doesn't reach out to that market.

 

[cinders7]

One way it could conceivably work is if Brisbane Easts own & run the NRL club but uses the Jets branding, licensed from Ipswich - in return for a licensing fee back to Ipswich that can be put into junior league in the area (thus increasing the player pool).

A bit unusual, but such an arrangement means a fresh Brisbane Easts bid can be made using something better than the Firehawks idea, Ipswich get their brand in the NRL (plus junior funding!), and one of the wealthiest clubs in Brisbane gets a place at the big table.

It'd still have the same core issue of a merger between two culturally different clubs/supporters.

Do we think that BNE2 would be as successful if it was the Dolphins in the background paying for everything while using the Jets name, playing in green/white colours with red trim?

It'd be a mess and a Tigers/Jets merger would be the same, losing the traditions of both clubs in an industry where traditions mean so much.

Could they just be called Brisbane Easts? Come up with some logo accordingly? Make them unique as not having an Americanized brand. Doesn't seem to bother football clubs no to have animals.

I wouldn't think so. The Tigers entire culture revivals around the black and orange colours (how good would it be to see this in the NRL), being called the Tigers, TigerTown, all that stuff. Remove the nickname and the colours don't make sense, and vice-versa.

Half of their affiliated clubs (spread around eastern, southern and western Brisbane) are called the Tigers. It's their core identity and you'd have to ask are they even the same club if they join the NRL but are called something else. We don't want to end up with a Brisbane Lions (FC, not AFL) -> Brisbane Roar situation.

 

[aarondoyle]

Queensland Cup has two Seagulls teams. Just bring in another Tigers.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Queensland Cup has two Seagulls teams. Just bring in another Tigers.

Wests Tigers & Easts Tigers
Battle of the Tigers
Broke Tiger v Rich Tiger
NSW Tiger v QLD Tiger
Leichardt v Suncorp

So many marketing angles

 

[James Rick]

What happened to the Brisbane Bombers?

 

[titoelcolombiano]

What happened to the Brisbane Bombers?

Merged with Ipswich to take on the Dolphins, then shut up shop when they weren't accepted.

 

[xe_kilroy]

The ARL accepted the Dolphins because they have a massive amount of money, can sustain themselves. More money than other Brisbane bids at the time.

Then they initially pushed ahead with PNG ahead of Perth because their gov was committing hundreds of millions dollars more than the Perth bid.

But once the Perth bid started upping their commitment, it gained traction ahead of PNG as preferred 18th, but the bid was rejected because they reckoned they could get even more monetary commitment from the WA gov, and once that happened then they were accepted.

Meanwhile, the PNG bid is still there (the x dollars) but perhaps more as a bar the ARL wants other bids to exceed if they can rather than accept PNG in the planned 20.

So, essentially, the most attractive bids for 19, 20, and beyond will mostly be centered on level of funding and bank balance of any prospective bid. Like a poker hand, whoever raises highest will get the nod, like that is almost all the ARL cares about.

Eg...it would be more ideal for Brisbane-3 or NZ-2 to be 19th and 20th....but hypothetically, say an Adelaide bid emerged and the state gov was willing to commit hundreds of millions etc, and it was way more funding than Ipswich, NZ and PNG then the ARL would accept them even tho it would make more sense (juniors etc etc) to have Bri/NZ.

 

[Perth Red]

But once the Perth bid started upping their commitment, it gained traction ahead of PNG as preferred 18th, but the bid was rejected because they reckoned they could get even more monetary commitment from the WA gov, and once that happened then they were accepted.

that wasn’t the case, the WA govt were always committed to investing regardless of if it was a privately owned western bears or a nrl owned Perth Bears.

For whatever reason, and there are various rumours as to why, the nrl decided it wanted to own the club Rather than have private ownership. wa govt was always putting big money in.

 

[xe_kilroy]

that wasn’t the case, the WA govt were always committed to investing regardless of if it was a privately owned western bears or a nrl owned Perth Bears.

For whatever reason, and there are various rumours as to why, the nrl decided it wanted to own the club Rather than have private ownership. wa govt was always putting big money in.

Yes, but they upped their commitment in the subsequent accepted bid -- agreeiing to invest a lot more millions of dollars into grassroots development and stadium construction, among a couple other things. Meanwhile, they did also win some further concessions from the ARL like no license fees and more home games in Perth etc.

There was an article I read the other day that detailed the new terms from first failed bid to second successful bid and that was the takeaway -- more money committed....which was why Dolphins won bid (they have tons more of it than other bids at the time).

So it's a pattern revealing the ARL's mindset -- whichever bid commits the most money is in.

PNG seemed to be 18 but ARL just goading WA to raise the stakes further and then they got 18.

Using the PNG bid as a bar setter for other consortiums to outbid.

 

[Perth Red]

Yes, but they upped their commitment in the subsequent accepted bid -- agreeiing to invest a lot more millions of dollars into grassroots development and stadium construction, among a couple other things. Meanwhile, they did also win some further concessions from the ARL like no license fees and more home games in Perth etc.

There was an article I read the other day that detailed the new terms from first failed bid to second successful bid and that was the takeaway -- more money committed....which was why Dolphins won bid (they have tons more of it than other bids at the time).

So it's a pattern revealing the ARL's mindset -- whichever bid commits the most money is in.

PNG seemed to be 18 but ARL just goading WA to raise the stakes further and then they got 18.

Using the PNG bid as a bar setter for other consortiums to outbid.

Not really, the consortium were putting up $50mill. Wa govt only increased $20mill (allegedly) so it was a net loss for nrl on money that was going in.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Not really, the consortium were putting up $50mill. Wa govt only increased $20mill (allegedly) so it was a net loss for nrl on money that was going in.

Sorry .. can you show your maths please… other bid … govt money for both etc … otherwise it’s just money getting plucked out of nowhere.. did cash converters bid have to face Basil and the rogue WA Newspaper scrutiny?

 

[BuffaloRules]

Sorry .. can you show your maths please… other bid … govt money for both etc … otherwise it’s just money getting plucked out of nowhere.. did cash converters guy have to face Basil ?

 

[xe_kilroy]

Can't find the exact article I read, it was more detailed, but here's another that shows some of the revised commitment....

The Perth NRL License - SportsIndustryAU https://footyindustry.com/index.php/2025/01/27/the-perth-nrl-license/

 

[xe_kilroy]

Google AI feedback....

The Western Australian government has secured a new NRL team for Perth, to be known as the Perth Bears, with the team expected to join the league in 2027 or 2028. The $65.6 million deal includes $60 million in direct funding to the club over seven years and an additional $5 million in marketing and match-day support. The North Sydney Bears are involved in the revival of the team, which will be based entirely in Perth.


Here's a more detailed breakdown:

• Funding:
  The Western Australian government will invest $65 million over seven years in the Perth Bears.
  
  
• Direct Funding:
  $60 million of the funding will go directly to the new team.
  
  
• Support Funding:
  An additional $5 million will be allocated to marketing and match-day support.
  
  
• Entry Year:
  The Perth Bears are slated to enter the NRL competition in either 2027 or 2028.
  
  
• Re-establishment of the North Sydney Bears:
  The Perth Bears bid is linked to the North Sydney Bears, who were relegated from the NRL over 25 years ago.
  
  
• Government Investment:
  The WA government is committed to developing the sport at the grassroots level and has pledged $35 million for that purpose over the next seven years.
  
  
• Centre of Excellence:
  A dedicated Centre of Excellence will be established as part of the project, with $20 million allocated for its development.
  
  
• Licence Fee:
  The WA government will not pay a license fee to the NRL for the new team.
  
  
• HBF Park Upgrade:
  The Perth Bears' home ground, HBF Park, is also expected to undergo upgrades to meet the standards of a modern NRL venue.
  
  
• Home Ground: The team will play its home games at HBF Park, with potential for one game per year at North Sydney Oval.