http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...s/news-story/6d0bd7d3d231048a89ceca5f6833b69b
THE Gold Coast Titans ownership is like the Snapper Rocks surfbreak, only locals are invited.
Todd Greenberg told*The Courier-Mail*the NRL wanted to sell the club to Gold Coast-based businessmen as a sale of the Titans in the next 12 months.
The NRL has owned the club for more than a year now and major improvements to its governance have occurred.
Titans fans could see their club in the hands of independent owners.
However, for the club to truly thrive it needs to be independent and the NRL wants a community owned model.
The Titans have been competitive this season in most games but are now well outside the top eight and their finals ambitions could be killed in the next month.
Greenberg said ownership discussions were happening right now but the NRL would rather not have out of towners.
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That rules out the likes of central Queensland construction magnate Geoff Murphy who had put his hand up to buy into the club.
?Clearly, local people owning, supporting and engaging with that club is incredibly important,? Greenberg said.
?A community based asset is clearly the model but we have to let that unfold.
?We are not forcing our hand with this. We want to be very judicious. We will give it the time and energy it needs. They have made massive improvement.
?People like Rebecca Frizelle and her board and Graham Annesley are doing a great job at looking at the long term play for the Titans, which has always been in our interest.
?There are discussions but they are being done through Rebecca.?
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The NRL own or part own three other NRL clubs, Newcastle, Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra. A sale of Newcastle and St George Illawarra appears likely this season but the Titans will have to wait with a buy out likely next season.
?No, not this particular year,? Greenberg said.
?The community owning their team is the right result and I?m happy if it takes a little bit longer to get that result.?
NRL boss Todd Greenberg wants the club to have greater community links.
Freedom from NRL ownership could help the club recruit and retain players.
The Titans have to deal with heavy restrictions and paperwork required for them to even engage a prospective player. Often by the time they have filed the required paperwork, that player has been snapped up by a rival club.
Greenberg also reaffirmed the NRL was genuinely interested in hosting a grand final at Suncorp Stadium.
?When you are rebuilding an asset worth hundreds of millions of dollars it takes years,? Greenberg said.
?While we do that we aren?t keen to play in a construction zone.
?Given the NSW Government have just spent $1.6 billion there is a strong relationship there and we will have the first discussions with them. In short, we will be looking at all options and Queensland is one of those options.?
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