WA BEARS

[Exsilium]

Perth were told licence fee would be required in July.

Ill be honest, I haven't followed the whole process or know the finer details. I just look at how its been handled and how the narrative changes.

My view is purely based on the indicated need of the game, the open tender process and end goal. I just want to see the game grow and growth isn't easy in any business but to obtain growth and market share, you often have to find ways to promote that opportunity that isnt just based on the highest bidder. You have to think about the long term goal and whether getting what you want will give you what you need.

 

[Cactus]

60% NRL, 25% WA Government, 15% Norths as principal partner.

Or as Norths Chief Financial Officer put it........ 30% NRL 20% WA Gov 51% Norths

 

[AdelaideSharky]

Ahem...

That's the Australian cricket captain. On equal footing with our beloved Nathan Cleary (With a C).

Chinderella? Or as my mum (Souths fan) calls him the Easter Island Head.

 

[Dragonwest]

Two major concerns from a Perth perspective:
1) Do we even get a team. Does PNG move to 18th and we end up waiting 10-25 years again.
2) Does this move transition too much power to North Sydney in controlling the club, taking it out of Perth's hands.

On point two - I'm all for the Bears and believe we should honour their traditional colours in the partnership. We must maintain both programs so NS lose nothing and are protected in the setup. However, all major decisions should be Perth based.

 

[Canard]

Two major concerns from a Perth perspective:
1) Do we even get a team. Does PNG move to 18th and we end up waiting 10-25 years again.
2) Does this move transition too much power to North Sydney in controlling the club, taking it out of Perth's hands.

On point two - I'm all for the Bears and believe we should honour their traditional colours in the partnership. We must maintain both programs so NS lose nothing and are protected in the setup. However, all major decisions should be Perth based.

For mine to be truly considered a WA team it has to be 50+1 minimum ownership by WA or WA entities.

Anything less will result in immediate calls for the team to relocate to Sydney, or play more games in Sydney etc. etc. and be a "Wests Tigers" style shitfight with the added negative of being perceived as an East Coast team in Perth.

 

[wb2027]

Anything less will result in immediate calls for the team to relocate to Sydney

So the same NRL who made it clear to the Bears they wouldn't be including any more clubs in Sydney would own and operate the club but somehow relocate them back to Sydney just because there's no WA ownership?

 

[Vlad59]

So the same NRL who made it clear to the Bears they wouldn't be including any more clubs in Sydney would own and operate the club but somehow relocate them back to Sydney just because there's no WA ownership?

My conclusion from having allowed my self rather stupidly to engage in expansion threads is that any outcome is possible including none.

 

[Canard]

So the same NRL who made it clear to the Bears they wouldn't be including any more clubs in Sydney would own and operate the club but somehow relocate them back to Sydney just because there's no WA ownership?

No, any NRL ownership would be temp only, and I would fully support it.

To be clear, any ownership by the bears that is 50+1, would be a bad outcome for Perth and NRL expansion in general.

By the way, why dont you just post from one account, and instead of the most thinly veiled alt account of all time.

 

[Matt_CBY]

To be clear, any ownership by the bears that is 50+1, would be a bad outcome for Perth and NRL expansion in general.

fear mongering at its finest.

 

[Wb1234]

The great man has spoken

 

[Canard]

fear mongering at its finest.

Concern about majority ownership by Norths, is a valid issue.

 

[Bukowski]

I love how his priority is norths fans !

 

[ayatollah_murdoch]

The great man has spoken

What did he say?

 

[Red&BlackBear]

What did he say?

Bears will be there’: Peter V’landys’ promise following collapse of Western Bears’ expansion bid

ARLC boss Peter V’landys has delivered a message of hope to long-suffering North Sydney supporters following the dramatic collapse of the Western Bears’ NRL expansion bid.

Peter Badel

,

Brent Read

and

Michael Carayannis





4 min read

October 9, 2024 - 4:00PM

News Sport Network

















NRL: The Western Bears' bid to join the NRL has been rejected by ARLC boss Peter V'landys.

ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys has declared North Sydney will not be killed off over a $20 million stand-off that has left the Western Bears expansion bid on life support.

V’landys has contacted Bears chairman Daniel Dickson to assure him that the famous club is still part of their expansion plans despite the dramatic collapse of the Western Bears bid.

As revealed by this masthead, the ARL Commission has formally rejected the Western Australian government-backed bid - just weeks out from the expected unveiling of the Western Bears as the NRL’s 18th team.

The Bears had been in talks with a consortium over a joint venture that would have brought the club back to life in the big league for the first time since Norths were booted out of the NRL in 1999.

There were fears that return was in jeopardy when this masthead broke the news on Monday that plans to expand to WA were in disarray after the ARLC lost faith in a Perth consortium spearheading the bid.

But V’landys insists the Bears are not dead, with NRL hierarchy to step-up urgent talks with the WA government to resuscitate an 18th team in Perth for 2027.



Peter V'landys. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“The Bears will be there,” V’landys said.

“We are trying to do a deal with the WA government which includes the Bears.

“So the Bears are not affected by this.

“That is a fallacy that is going around that the Bears are dead.

“No they are not. It is far from it.

“I called Daniel Dickson and explained that to him - that if we do a deal directly with government, it will include the Bears.”

V’landys’ revelation will come as a relief to Bears powerbrokers and fans, who are sweating on the famous 116-year-old brand being resurrected as a top-flight franchise.

The Bears have a passionate supporter base in excess of 200,000 that has been starved of top-level rugby league for more than 25 years, but there are genuine hopes a return can come via Western Australia.

The Bears have been locked in sensitive talks with the WA bid team for at least six months and were part of the document that was submitted as part of the bid process.

However, that bid has been rejected after WA failed to include a licence fee as part of their proposal.

It is believed the licence fee for entry could have been as high as $20 million - $10 million per annum for two years - and that amount may have signalled alarm bells for the Perth consortium.

Should the Perth consortium refuse to revise its existing bid, the ARL Commission will shift strategy and look to broker an expansion deal directly with the WA government.



North Sydney legend Greg Florimo has been fighting for the bears’ return for years. Picture: Julian Andrews

Talks with the WA government have centred around a team being run by the NRL, who will own the 18th licence, with the Bears to remain on board as a key partner.

V’landys has great respect for the power and history of the Bears brand. He believes a WA entity with Bears branding can be as successful for the NRL as what the relocated Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans have been for the AFL.

“They can relax,” V’landys said of Bears fans.

“The Bears aren’t affected by this unless the deal with the (WA) government falls over.

“But the discussions with government are very positive.

“The Bears are in the same position. They are front and centre. There is no problem with the Bears’ situation.

“That is a misconception out in the marketplace.”

Bears chairman Dickson vowed to fight to keep their NRL expansion hopes alive.

“Nothing has changed for us,” he said.

“I don’t know the full story on why they have rejected the bid, but we will work with the NRL.

“Regardless of whatever decisions are made, our goal is to be part of the NRL’s expansion plans and we stay firm on that.”

It is understood a WA Bears team remains the NRL’s preferred candidate for entry in 2027, with Papua New Guinea to follow in 2028.

North Sydney director Billy Moore insists the Bears have the grassroots, infrastructure and supporter base to have an 18th team ready for NRL admission.

“We can definitely be operational by 2027. We can meet the NRL’s timeframes on that, no problem,” he said.



North Sydney Bears chairman Daniel Dickson with club director Billy Moore. Source: Supplied

“The Bears would be honoured to be involved with the NRL.

“My heart sank when I heard things weren’t going smoothly.

“Then to see the bid rejected, I had grave concerns.

“I am like the 200,000 Bears fans and all former and current players. We hope there is a pathway through this. The Bears re-entering the competition would be great for the game and we hope there is a pathway through this.

“A partnership with Western Australia makes sense. When you have a look at the strength of the Sydney Swans and the Brisbane Lions, a marriage of old and new, I know this can and will work.

“We have to get over a few hurdles but I’m confident we can get to a situation where the Western Bears can prosper.

“With the Western Australian government involved, the Bears are still in a strong position.

“Whatever shape or form this new club takes, we will make it work. The Bears are not presenting a problem.

“We want a resolution and I am still confident we will find a way through.”





https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...amDf4klvAspVx5fm9A_aem_ntqnfmlrQh-kgZ0bnOIFQg

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

"Should the Perth consortium refuse to revise its existing bid, the ARL Commission will shift strategy and look to broker an expansion deal directly with the WA government."


Is it dead or not ?

 

[Bukowski]

"Should the Perth consortium refuse to revise its existing bid, the ARL Commission will shift strategy and look to broker an expansion deal directly with the WA government."


Is it dead or not ?

There will need to be a compromise. Neither the WA Govt or the NRL want to own it. Otherwise it's completely dead.

 

[i0Nic]

‘Disappointed, frustrated, money for nothing’: Perth’s NRL bid chief breaks silence​

By Adam Pengilly and Adrian Proszenko​

October 9, 2024 — 3.46pm

‘Must have strong business case’: Western Bears bid officially torpedoed

Peter Cumins’ hopes of returning to the negotiating table have been dashed after the NRL opted to move on from his failed Perth license bid.

www.smh.com.au

​

Normal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text size

The chairman of the failed Perth bid has broken his silence on having a proposal to enter the NRL rejected at the 11th hour, claiming his consortium couldn’t absorb a multi-million dollar licence fee but was still open to returning to the negotiating table.
As the fallout from the Australian Rugby League Commission’s decision to knock back the Western Bears’ bid continues, a shattered Cumins insisted he wanted nothing more than a successful franchise based in Perth. For the NRL, it is a major stumbling block in its expansion plans.
The Perth consortium held a series of meetings with executives they’d handpicked to run the club in Sydney on Monday, ready to trigger conversations with prospective coaches and player agents.
But they were shocked when NRL boss Andrew Abdo rang Cumins to inform him the bid wouldn’t be accepted as the NRL’s 18th team in 2027.

ARLC chairman Peter V’landys was believed to be stunned when the consortium didn’t offer a licence fee as part of the proposal - they were asked if they would volunteer an amount - forcing the NRL to negotiate directly with the Western Australian government to rescue a $450 million funding pledge for a new Perth team.
On Wednesday, Cash Converters supremo Cumins defended the submission and claimed it was an “excellent bid”. He told this masthead: “Disappointed would be an understatement, and we’ve spent a lot of money for nothing.

NRL bosses Andrew Abdo and Peter V’landys.CREDIT: NICK MOIR
“The frustration from our point of view is there has never been a licence fee paid by any club in the NRL, including the Dolphins. The Dolphins have been going for 75 years with $100 million worth of real estate and they’ve got all the facilities they need.
“We’re a start-up in an AFL state, so our start-up costs are massive. There’s a $16 million burn before you even kick a football. We’re bringing new eyeballs to the game to help with negotiating broadcast rights, new sponsorship dollars because we’re not competing with east coast sponsors.

“None of it commercially made any sense [to offer a substantial licence fee], which is why we elected not to.”
The Western Bears’ proposal included a formal partnership with the North Sydney Bears and had enticed Sydney Kings part-owner Paul Smith and former NRL executive Paul Kind to join the ownership group.

V’landys confirmed on Wednesday he wouldn’t abandon the Bears as part of any new affiliation and wants a decision on a new Perth franchise to be settled within weeks.
“North Sydney will be part of any deal that will be done,” he said. “But the business case has to stack up, and if we don’t have confidence in it, then how can we take it to our members?”

The North Sydney Bears remained tight-lipped in case they were still bound by a non-disclosure agreement.
“We still very much want to be part of expansion and are continuing to work with the NRL in regards to what that looks like,” said North Sydney Bears CEO Gareth Holmes.

It’s not all over for the Bears name returning to big time rugby league.CREDIT: STEVEN SIEWERT
It’s unclear whether any new Perth franchise will include the moniker Western Bears, with the trademark lodged by Cumins’ consortium. It seems it would now require the NRL to obtain the trademark to resuscitate the name.
The Perth Bears trademark has also been taken.

Papua New Guinea is all but guaranteed to be one of the NRL’s new franchises after a $600 million funding commitment from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government, but most focus will be on Perth as the NRL tries to capitalise on the game’s popularity across the Nullarbor.
“We’re all rugby league people and this was never about millions of bucks,” Cumins said. “I’m still a rugby league diehard from Perth and Cash Converters has poured millions of dollars into the grassroots game over many years.
“I still want to see a Perth team. I want it to be successful. I’m not going to be an obstacle. We’re still there if they want us.”

 

[i0Nic]

On the face of it it seems like a difference in viewpoints between NRL and the Perth Consortium.

- The NRL wants Western Bears to front up the licence fee as it sees itself as very valuable asset for them to join
- Perth Consortium doesn't see that it's fair to ask them to front up such a large up front fee where they already have to pour a lot of start up costs into

I see both points of view. I wonder whether it's the NRL who are showing too much ego here and whether it backfires on them.

I wonder whether they can meet in the middle on the fees, or whether there's any room for further negotiations at all. It seems from the NRL they don't want to work with them any longer full stop, so I wonder what more there is to it.

 

[Kurt Angle]

No

$600 million is the total investment in PNG over 10 years centred around RL

It includes $60 million up front, $25 million p.a. for 10 years towards the team, and the remaining $300 million towards underlying youth development structures, such as academy's and RL infrastructure

V'Landys wants this be ause it means he gets to frequently sit at the table of the PM and federal cabinet of the day

The NRL knows this will fail due to corruption in PNG, but they wont fund a cent so they're no so fussed

But the NRL will get $60 million in one hit

They're saying the the WA bid "it's not free anymore (re: Dolphins)

The WA bid has basically played chicken with this view, and V'Landys has gone to the media to rev them up

The bit about being pissed off with the 2 Paul's means it's set up as a for profit organisation then

They buying 15%, to access future years profits. Profits coming from grants and goodwill

V'Landys reckons they should pay for this.

 

[Red&BlackBear]

There will need to be a compromise. Neither the WA Govt or the NRL want to own it. Otherwise it's completely dead.

Short term they can definitely own majority shares in a club that isn’t an issue: long term though that club would need to have its share sold to willing investors/buyers and hopefully that’s in the form of majority WA based businesses people with sprinkles of business people from elsewhere.