WA BEARS

[Red&BlackBear]

PVL interview below from News Corp. (below is section on WA Bears)

​

The addition of the Western Bears as the NRL’s 18th team seemed a fait accompli for the 2027 premiership. That is now in limbo after Western Bears bid chief Peter Cumins revealed the Perth consortium offered to pay “zero” in a licence fee to the NRL, who were seeking around $20 million for entry.

The ARL Commission was planning for 20 teams, possibly as early as 2030, and V’landys insists the Western Bears debacle will not scupper further expansion.

“It’s not a setback for expansion at all,” V’landys said.

“We were always dealing with the WA government and we will still deal with their government.

“The foundations of a (Perth) bid are there, it’s just a matter of picking things up with the government, so it could happen very quickly.

“My dealings have always been with the WA premier (Roger Cook) who is very passionate about having an NRL team and he has the will to do it, so I’m not concerned.

“I don’t think it (expansion) will be delayed too much, no.

“We will know soon enough. If we can’t get an agreement, we won’t go with anyone.”

Peter V'landys insists the debacle surrounding the Western Bears isn’t a setback for expansion plans.

The NRL was expected to make a formal announcement this month on the addition of two new teams, the Western Bears and Papua New Guinea, for 2027-28.

North Sydney chiefs are sweating on a resolution, fearing they could forever be killed off as an NRL entity, but V’landys stressed he wants the Bears to be back in the big league.

“The Bears haven’t happened yet because it’s all part of the expansion process, but if it eventuates that would be great,” he said.

“Since I’ve been in rugby league administration, every second person says to me, ‘When are you bringing the Bears back’.

“I never realised how many people were so passionate and tribal about the Bears.

“If it happens it will be fantastic for the game, but I’m making this clear – the business case for expansion has to stack up.

“We will consult the NRL clubs. They are important in this and we need them engaged in the process, to look at our business plan and see it’s good for the game.

“No bid team can take anything for granted.”

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/arl-commission-boss-peter-vlandys-opens-up-on-dealing-with-public-hate-reece-walsh-stardom-western-bears-wayne-bennett-and-more/news-story/27118ace4665df3fe836ec04e99bf692?amp&nk=e8c89a88051a6ebdfc079aa6b1892497-1728771422

Reading between the lines. WA Consortium looks to be completely out.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

“Since I’ve been in rugby league administration, every second person says to me, ‘When are you bringing the Bears back’.

yeah, right.

anyway its not all doom and gloom except for AFL Red's mate Cummmmings.

 

[MugaB]

Reading between the lines. WA Consortium looks to be completely out.

Sounds about right, why would the NRL want a consortium who won't pay their way be involved, not when there's been bidders like east tigers Ipswich Jets/Jets or NS bears every year willing to fork out whatever just to gain entry, but yeah perf are a special lot... everything costs nothing to them

 

[Red&BlackBear]

“Since I’ve been in rugby league administration, every second person says to me, ‘When are you bringing the Bears back’.

yeah, right.

anyway its not all doom and gloom except for AFL Red's mate Cummmmings.

You’re missing 6 M’s there. Sharpen up please.

 

[Red&BlackBear]

From Thursday last week but seems to be the only definitive article where WA Roger Cook provided commentary.

Premier Roger Cook vows to continue fight for WA NRL team after bid rejected
Jake Dietsch
The West Australian

Premier Roger Cook insists WA’s play for an NRL club is not dead despite ARL Commission head Peter V’landys rejecting a bid by the Perth-based Western Bears to become the competition’s 18th team.

Mr V’landys said the proposal put forward by a consortium that included the WA NRL and the North Sydney Bears was “significantly short” of what was required.

A multimillion-dollar licensing fee is believed to be the main sticking point.

The ARL board’s decision came days after the NRL grand final, despite expectations that the Western Bears could be announced as the newest team to join the competition in 2027 as early as this week.

The Premier — an NRL fan and passionate supporter of establishing a WA team — confirmed Wednesday he had a “text exchange” with Mr V’Landys after the decision.

“We continue to discuss aspects of the bid process. Obviously, the bids went in. I think ours was the strongest. But we need to address some of the issues the board had concerning that bid,” Mr Cook said.

“There’s several aspects to the structure of the bid and the nature of the finances around it.”
Mr Cook said he did not want to “go into the details” but admitted it was a personal passion project for him.

“I’ve always been a backer of a league in WA. I remember when the Western Reds were in the competition. I still bear the scars of them being axed from the competition,” he said.

Peter V'landys No

“I think WA should come into the NRL, but we will continue to work with WA NRL and be advised by them about how we can support the bid process.”

Asked if the deal was dead, Mr Cook warned against making such an “assumption” and vowed conversations between the Government and ARL would continue.

Mr V’landys told News Corp the commission was still in talks with the Cook Government and left open the possibility the bid could be resuscitated.

But he indicated he may no longer be willing to talk with the “current consortium”.

“No bid team can take the expansion process for granted. I have made this clear from day one. We will only expand if there is a firm business case, and at the moment, Perth’s business case doesn’t stack up,” Mr V’landys said.

“If we can’t stack it up, I can’t take it to the members for consideration. All I will say is their bid is extremely short. I will talk more with the WA Government, but not necessarily the current consortium.”

SIX AGAIN: Cook won’t give up on fight for a WA NRL team

WA’s push for an NRL club is still alive, according to Premier Roger Cook, despite the rejection of the Western Bears’ bid by Peter V’landys.

thewest.com.au

 

[Trifili13]

So as per PVL's own words "my dealings have always been with the WA premier (Roger Cook) who is very passionate about having an NRL team and he has the will to do it, so I’m not concerned". Then I assume PVL also mentioned to the Premier that a licence fee of around $20m would be required to buy into this competition and the Premier either forgot to mention it to the consortium or the consortium ignored him. Or did PVL just say "Roger, pay whatever you feel like for the licence".

As I have said, don't care if Perth get in or not, but people on here are footing all the blame on Cumins and absolving the NRL which I don't think is correct.

 

[MugaB]

So as per PVL's own words "my dealings have always been with the WA premier (Roger Cook) who is very passionate about having an NRL team and he has the will to do it, so I’m not concerned". Then I assume PVL also mentioned to the Premier that a licence fee of around $20m would be required to buy into this competition and the Premier either forgot to mention it to the consortium or the consortium ignored him. Or did PVL just say "Roger, pay whatever you feel like for the licence".

As I have said, don't care if Perth get in or not, but people on here are footing all the blame on Cumins and absolving the NRL which I don't think is correct.

Cumins gone was all that was nessesary, I'm sure if the licence fee was written as 21mil, this probably could have happened anyway, and still the fee would have still been short (incomparision to png)
Either way the zero sum, seem to put this on cumins feet, again this was never meant to be a free licence to start accepting the nrl clubs broadcaster pie, besides has anyone actually seen what nine/fox will actually want for a WA team?
I get the 9th game will up the value, but happens regardless who gets admitted

 

[AlwaysGreen]

If any money is going to come from the WA government the time is right now. A pro rugby league Premier and a government with a massive majority.

 

[MugaB]

If any money is going to come from the WA government the time is right now. A pro rugby league Premier and a government with a massive majority.

Who says 450mil needs to ALL go to the infrastructure, chances are none of it goes anywhere if there is no team to use its facilities

 

[Trifili13]

Cumins gone was all that was nessesary, I'm sure if the licence fee was written as 21mil, this probably could have happened anyway, and still the fee would have still been short (incomparision to png)
Either way the zero sum, seem to put this on cumins feet, again this was never meant to be a free licence to start accepting the nrl clubs broadcaster pie, besides has anyone actually seen what nine/fox will actually want for a WA team?
I get the 9th game will up the value, but happens regardless who gets admitted

You might be right. But this would suggest that the management consulting firm, WA govt and Bears could not sway Cumins to put in even a nominal amount for the licence fee, as surely all parties would have had a look at the final bid document before it was lodged given how close they have to work together to make this club happen. I would be very surprised if Cumins just filled the form out on his own laptop and didn't show anybody.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Who says 450mil needs to ALL go to the infrastructure, chances are none of it goes anywhere if there is no team to use its facilities

Who said anything about $450mil?

 

[MugaB]

Who said anything about $450mil?

It's the carrot that WA govt is hanging for Perf to have an NRL team, once they get one, they unleash the hounds, and 450 mil goes to HBF Park upgrade aswell as a CoE for this team, (Porcupines look better odds at getting this bid thru)

 

[MugaB]

You might be right. But this would suggest that the management consulting firm, WA govt and Bears could not sway Cumins to put in even a nominal amount for the licence fee, as surely all parties would have had a look at the final bid document before it was lodged given how close they have to work together to make this club happen. I would be very surprised if Cumins just filled the form out on his own laptop and didn't show anybody.

It was probably sorted out months ago that they'd pay sweet fk all, and only when the clubs Ceos found out, they'd be all sharpening pitch forks for perf, right before announcing it... if they were OK with it, the bid would've passed... (of course they would not been ok with it)
again arlc don't care about licence fee, they don't get to see any of it come to them, it just gets shared around, the licence costs nothing, the clubs know it costs them a smaller slice of pie of overall return of revenue

 

[Trifili13]

It's the carrot that WA govt is hanging for Perf to have an NRL team, once they get one, they unleash the hounds, and 450 mil goes to HBF Park upgrade aswell as a CoE for this team, (Porcupines look better odds at getting this bid thru)

I think you might be onto something MugaB. Maybe the Porcupines are letting Cumins, WA government and Bears do all the heavy lifting by getting a team admitted, redeveloping HBF and building a CoE and the Porcupines just move straight in. Crafty and prickly little animals those Porcupines.

 

[MugaB]

I think you might be onto something MugaB. Maybe the Porcupines are letting Cumins, WA government and Bears do all the heavy lifting by getting a team admitted, redeveloping HBF and building a CoE and the Porcupines just move straight in. Crafty and prickly little animals those Porcupines.

Western Pasifika isn't based in Perf anyways, it's based on Rottnest Island, apparently that's not in Perf

 

[Trifili13]

Western Pasifika isn't based in Perf anyways, it's based on Rottnest Island, apparently that's not in Perf

It's in Queensland

 

[MugaB]

It's in Queensland

Suva, Fiji?
Also in QLD
Palmerston North .... that's in NSW!

 

[Pippen94]

So as per PVL's own words "my dealings have always been with the WA premier (Roger Cook) who is very passionate about having an NRL team and he has the will to do it, so I’m not concerned". Then I assume PVL also mentioned to the Premier that a licence fee of around $20m would be required to buy into this competition and the Premier either forgot to mention it to the consortium or the consortium ignored him. Or did PVL just say "Roger, pay whatever you feel like for the licence".

As I have said, don't care if Perth get in or not, but people on here are footing all the blame on Cumins and absolving the NRL which I don't think is correct.

Timeline is still same. NRL think they can do better without consortium which wasn't forthcoming with details. What's to be absolved of?!

 

[Trifili13]

Timeline is still same. NRL think they can do better without consortium which wasn't forthcoming with details. What's to be absolved of?!

No one is arguing about timeliness. What I am saying is the NRL has run this process poorly and can't just blame it all on Cumins. It might all end up smelling roses and the WA Govt or another consortium stumps up the $20m, but it hasn’t been a good look up to now.

Do you believe PVL when he says every second person he speaks to is asking him when are the Bears coming back? Or does he only mingle with the 200,000 Bears fans?

 

[Canard]

PVL interview below from News Corp. (below is section on WA Bears)

​

The addition of the Western Bears as the NRL’s 18th team seemed a fait accompli for the 2027 premiership. That is now in limbo after Western Bears bid chief Peter Cumins revealed the Perth consortium offered to pay “zero” in a licence fee to the NRL, who were seeking around $20 million for entry.

The ARL Commission was planning for 20 teams, possibly as early as 2030, and V’landys insists the Western Bears debacle will not scupper further expansion.

“It’s not a setback for expansion at all,” V’landys said.

“We were always dealing with the WA government and we will still deal with their government.

“The foundations of a (Perth) bid are there, it’s just a matter of picking things up with the government, so it could happen very quickly.

“My dealings have always been with the WA premier (Roger Cook) who is very passionate about having an NRL team and he has the will to do it, so I’m not concerned.

“I don’t think it (expansion) will be delayed too much, no.

“We will know soon enough. If we can’t get an agreement, we won’t go with anyone.”

Peter V'landys insists the debacle surrounding the Western Bears isn’t a setback for expansion plans.

The NRL was expected to make a formal announcement this month on the addition of two new teams, the Western Bears and Papua New Guinea, for 2027-28.

North Sydney chiefs are sweating on a resolution, fearing they could forever be killed off as an NRL entity, but V’landys stressed he wants the Bears to be back in the big league.

“The Bears haven’t happened yet because it’s all part of the expansion process, but if it eventuates that would be great,” he said.

“Since I’ve been in rugby league administration, every second person says to me, ‘When are you bringing the Bears back’.

“I never realised how many people were so passionate and tribal about the Bears.

“If it happens it will be fantastic for the game, but I’m making this clear – the business case for expansion has to stack up.

“We will consult the NRL clubs. They are important in this and we need them engaged in the process, to look at our business plan and see it’s good for the game.

“No bid team can take anything for granted.”

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/arl-commission-boss-peter-vlandys-opens-up-on-dealing-with-public-hate-reece-walsh-stardom-western-bears-wayne-bennett-and-more/news-story/27118ace4665df3fe836ec04e99bf692?amp&nk=e8c89a88051a6ebdfc079aa6b1892497-1728771422

Reading between the lines. WA Consortium looks to be completely out.

That's a pretty clear indication that expansion is on the back burner, for now.

And will be on a more realistic time frame than 2026 or 2027 as previously stated.

That's a good thing for mine.