WA BEARS

[MugaB]

---full article text----

NRL expansion: Bears move closer to return following negotiations with Perth bid consortium


North Sydney and Western Australia’s rugby league bid are on the verge of striking a deal which will see the resurrection of the Bears as the NRL’s 18th team.

Michael Carayannis
,
Peter Badel and Brent Read
July 3, 2024 - 5:50PM

North Sydney and Western Australia’s rugby league bid are on the verge of striking a deal which will see the resurrection of the Bears as the NRL’s 18th team with the $30 million cost to be part of an expanded competition revealed.

The two parties are inching closer to an agreement after the Bears softened their list of prerequisites' in order to get a deal done. They held positive talks in Sydney last week with the Bears formalising their proposal in recent days with the Western Australian team meeting in Perth on Wednesday to discuss North Sydney’s revamped plans.

It is understood that a game at North Sydney Oval is still part of the pitch but having multiple games at the venue is no longer a non-negotiable.

Newtown Jets were the other potential partner for Western Australia although the insistence of the Bears by some of the game’s heavyweights looked to have tipped the scales in North Sydney’s favour.

It comes as Perth NRL bid consortium chairman Peter Cumins penned an open letter to Western Australian league bosses this week where he said they needed to raise $30 million to kick-start the franchise.

<<Club legend Greg Florimo has campaigned tirelessly to ‘Bring back the Bears’. Picture: Getty Images>>

“You will have seen from recent press articles that the NRL are calling for expressions of interest from bidders for the 18th license as part of the NRL expansion plans to ultimately go to a 20-team competition,” Cumins wrote. “It is expected that a successful bid will be announced towards the end of this year and that team will be playing in the 2027 season.

“The WA bid consortium will be required to raise $30 million to support the bid and to provide the NRL with a comprehensive plan…You will have seen a lot of press about a potential marriage/partnership with the Newtown Jets or North Sydney Bears.

“I can confirm that I met recently with both clubs to see if an agreement can be reached that satisfies the ambition of all stakeholders. Whatever the outcome of these discussions you can rest assured if our bid is successful, it will be a WA team that we can be proud of.”


Peter V'Landys has given hope to long-suffering North Sydney Bears fans- declaring it makes sense to bring the old team back into rugby league "in some fashion"
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo had promised to keep clubs informed on expansion and wrote to them this week to let them know that the ARL Commission had endorsed a formal plan for the addition of new teams in coming years.

The initial stage of that plan involved the board calling for expressions of interest from prospective parties, headed by the likes of Perth and Papua New Guinea.

Abdo pointed out in his email that they hoped to have the process finalised by the end of the season and that the successful entry of the Dolphins to the premiership was proof positive of the benefits of expansion.

The clubs were told that consortiums had been sent a document outlining the criteria for expansion with the commission to judge them based on their governance and ownership, their ability to be competitive, and their plans to invest in participation and pathways.

The NRL will also take into account infrastructure for elite pathways, financial strength and their strategic value from a broadcasting perspective.

It is understood the email from Abdo prompted a flurry of text messages between club bosses as they discussed what expansion would mean to them.

The clubs are looking for a financial uplift in return for their support for the game to expand to 20 teams.

----end of article---


Thoughts, anyone?

Yep, Perths leaders never had anything ready but ambition, no raised capital, no pathways set up, no "unnamed businessmen" ready to chip in...
Also doesn't seem to matter even if they did, coz the arlc were pushing the bears case anyways, thus why singo cracked it at both, and him calling out wa govt and Nsbears with mind games... its obvious they are trying to do all this without cumins or his sayso involved

 

[Centy Coast]

So no logo, no colours and no game at NSO.


If so what's the point?

You know the unreasonable non negotiables I’m talking about lol

 

[Centy Coast]

They dont need a spash of yellow

Perth wore red & black for many years

Clubs these days have home jerseys, away jerseys, indigenous jerseys, Anzac jerseys, heritage jerseys, so I would expect yellow in there some where, with the red and black, probably for home games in WA.

 

[blue bags]

Wy would manly play a home game in perth?

He means an extra game in Perth
Taking the Home game at. Brookvale .
North Sydney oval. To Perth
As a sweetener

 

[MugaB]

You’ve triggered him.

Flame!

 

[blue bags]

Clubs these days have home jerseys, away jerseys, indigenous jerseys, Anzac jerseys, heritage jerseys, so I would expect yellow in there some where, with the red and black, probably for home games in WA.

Women's in league Jersey's
Miracle movie's jersey round

 

[MugaB]

I'm pretty sure they'll keep the Bears name and colours with a splash of yellow. Everyone is freaking out about this, but in reality it's a smart move. Regardless there will be a Sydney and even a small Brisbane fan base that will travel around locally for away games, which both Titans and Dolphins don't have. So I think all the people who are having a hizzy fit should just chill the frack down. This is good for the game.

I reckon it's the opposite, considering it's a WA team, I reckon its a Black and Yellow combo... with a splash or trim of red, the away strip can be majority red/black of bears (since they'll be mostly in Sydney for those away games anyways) but when home at Perth Black/Yellow combo (ala pittsburgh pirates style colors)

 

[Dragonwest]

The Reds always had some Yellow/Gold on their ARL and Superleague jerseys. Maybe you're thinking of the Wildcats (post '94)

Not in the Super League year, it was black and red. Only yellows was the super league symbol.

 

[MugaB]

I reckon it's the opposite, considering it's a WA team, I reckon its a Black and Yellow combo... with a splash or trim of red, the away strip can be majority red/black of bears (since they'll be mostly in Sydney for those away games anyways) but when home at Perth Black/Yellow combo (ala pittsburgh pirates style colors)

Home in WA

Away

 

[Nuke]

And the collar. And the Nike logo.
Minor touches, yes, but touches of yellow none-the-less.

 

[MugaB]

And the collar. And the Nike logo.
Minor touches, yes, but touches of yellow none-the-less.
View attachment 90569

Should've been all yellow instead of red...

Super league asked norths first to join the rebel comp, had they have been smarter, I dare say they'd still be around today... and that jersey above wouldn't be red

 

[jim_57]

So if its Bears…


Name: Perth Bears. Use the city name, weirdly not used by either AFL or Union. See Brisbane Broncos or Melbourne Storm.

Colours: Red, Black & White. Not fussed on adding yellow, Red & Black will be unique except for the Wildcats who funnily enough use touches of yellow. Clearly different from teams from the other football codes.

Home games: Round 1 opener at Optus is a no brainer before AFL starts, at least for the first few seasons to capitalise on the novelty factor. Preferably all 12 in Perth, but I could live with 1 less. Not that I agree with it for some teams but the majority of NRL clubs take at least 1 game out of their home market these days whether it be Magic, Vegas or country games. In saying that they should definitely be wary about the timing and how they approach a Sydney game since it is the Bears old home. Mid-season would be best if it is a regular season game.

Stadium: HBF Park with hopefully at least a new Western corporate stand and 25k capacity. Hopefully they go for the whole lot even if it is built in phases. New Northern stand to match Southern stand, corners filled in & roof all around for 30k give or take.

Pathways: Keep North Sydney systems as is, aim to get at least one Perth based junior team up and running from day 1 and eventually Matts, Ball & Flegg. Left field idea could be to run the Perth based juniors in the Queensland leagues with shorter seasons.

Ownership & Board: Majority Perth based. As many guarantees in place as possible to prevent further movement of games back to NSW. Bears can’t take the licence and run back to Sydney or Central Coast under any circumstances, not while other viable unrepresented or underrepresented markets sit on the table.

Memberships: Plenty of Perth packages as normal, run deals to get kids to games, free/cheap/2for1 memberships for kids, hand out tickets at school visits in early years. Offer Sydney packs for away games plus NSO game if there is one, clubs do this already do this should be obvious.

 

[Centy Coast]

So if its Bears…


Name: Perth Bears. Use the city name, weirdly not used by either AFL or Union. See Brisbane Broncos or Melbourne Storm.

Colours: Red, Black & White. Not fussed on adding yellow, Red & Black will be unique except for the Wildcats who funnily enough use touches of yellow. Clearly different from teams from the other football codes.

Home games: Round 1 opener at Optus is a no brainer before AFL starts, at least for the first few seasons to capitalise on the novelty factor. Preferably all 12 in Perth, but I could live with 1 less. Not that I agree with it for some teams but the majority of NRL clubs take at least 1 game out of their home market these days whether it be Magic, Vegas or country games. In saying that they should definitely be wary about the timing and how they approach a Sydney game since it is the Bears old home. Mid-season would be best if it is a regular season game.

Stadium: HBF Park with hopefully at least a new Western corporate stand and 25k capacity. Hopefully they go for the whole lot even if it is built in phases. New Northern stand to match Southern stand, corners filled in & roof all around for 30k give or take.

Pathways: Keep North Sydney systems as is, aim to get at least one Perth based junior team up and running from day 1 and eventually Matts, Ball & Flegg. Left field idea could be to run the Perth based juniors in the Queensland leagues with shorter seasons.

Ownership & Board: Majority Perth based. As many guarantees in place as possible to prevent further movement of games back to NSW. Bears can’t take the licence and run back to Sydney or Central Coast under any circumstances, not while other viable unrepresented or underrepresented markets sit on the table.

Memberships: Plenty of Perth packages as normal, run deals to get kids to games, free/cheap/2for1 memberships for kids, hand out tickets at school visits in early years. Offer Sydney packs for away games plus NSO game if there is one, clubs do this already do this should be obvious.

Sounds good, colours red and black add yellow for home games.
No need for white.

 

[MugaB]

Sounds good, colours red and black add yellow for home games.
No need for white.

White for a heritage for ether bears/reds

 

[Steel Saints]

Sounds good, colours red and black add yellow for home games.
No need for white.

In the red, white and black jersey, you replace white with yellow.

 

[Milhouse2020]

That's because you're as dumb as a sack of hammers.

It takes one to know one. Now run along and play with your Barbie dolls.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

It takes one to know one. Now run along and play with your Barbie dolls.

What are your thoughts on barbie dolls?

 

[Milhouse2020]

What are your thoughts on barbie dolls?

I don't play with Barbie dolls. I do enjoy building LEGO sets and playing the occasional session of Minecraft, though.

 

[Vlad59]

I don't play with Barbie dolls. I do enjoy building LEGO sets and playing the occasional session of Minecraft, though.

With your mummy?

 

[Milhouse2020]

With your mummy?

Actually, with yours Champ.