West Coast Pirates Bid News

[Red&BlackBear]

Tony Sage reminds me a little bit of Craig Davison, both want teams without actually putting in hard work and engaging the communit properly. But the difference is that Sage has had previous experience with the Glory and by all accounts since his owning of the Glory occurred fans has dropped. So that is a slight concern. What should happen is the NRL hinting at Sage to join with the Reds and with the WARL making them strong, financially viable for ages while working off what the Reds have done in the community already. As long as its the Reds his involvement only if limited would give you guys a decent war chest to play with. Almost instant success like the Storm had when they entered would be a real possibility.

 

[Goddo]

Supply and demand... we have 2 Perth bids and 3 maybe 4 in Queensland.

Wheres the second/rival Gosford bid?

 

[adamkungl]

lol...clutching at straws

 

[El Diablo]

Supply and demand... we have 2 Perth bids and 3 maybe 4 in Queensland.

Wheres the second/rival Gosford bid?

:lol:

if the CC get in the NRL are a f**king joke

 

[annieel]

Ok. I have read the impressive report. Describing how much WA would like a NRL Team. How long now have the Central Coast of NSW been asking for a team. Not a Team that moves to the area from Sydney. But a real Central Coast Team. We need this. We are a passionate sports loving part of NSW. We have embraced The Mariners, they lead A League at this time. I don't even think they should be called the Bears, as this was North Sydney. We should be called a name to represent the Central Coast. A competition would be a good idea. We the people of the Central Coast ask for this. It is important to give us a sport that we can take our family to on a weekend. Rugby League runs deep in our blood on the Coast. Give us our own team. Thank You................................................

 

[supera]

He should have done!

Not surprised the WARL are spewing. 5 years of hard work engaging the community, WA Govt and corporates, setting up jnr development programmes and working their balls off hosting NRL games to show public support and Sage thinks he can waltz in at the 11th hour, appoint a CEO and coach and just get a team?

Reality is he would probably be worth less than 1million a year in terms of investment, having a strong grass roots and jnr development linked directly to the NRL team is worth far more imo.

I see zero advantage to a Sage led team and lots of potential bad things. His reign in charge of Glory has been a disaster, fans have deserted them, corporates have deserted them and on the field they are a joke.

Dimitri have you got a link for that story?

he's saying $20m - is that not money that WA would want? the Reds "bid" is preferable for its groundwork, but surely your priority is a WA team? are you that gung-ho on it being the Reds? beggars can't be choosers.

if anything, i'd suggest this perhaps shows a lack of due diligence by the WARL to canvas corporate support. i would've thought sage would be the first guy that they should've been in regular contact with over the last couple of years due to a proven track record of an interest in throwing money at sport in WA.

Administrative records of the Glory is barely relevant. if he has $20m that he's prepared to tip into it, unfortunately community support has to pale in comparison, because aside from $1-2m that you can pull in from members, community support doesn't pay the bills.

Hopefully he has met with Gallop and in saying that they're open to a WA team, they've advised Sage to get in touch with the WARL.

 

[BrisVegas]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...was-chances-of-a-new-team-20120214-1t493.html

PERTH is being strongly considered as the venue for October's Test against New Zealand in a move that may help give NRL officials an insight into whether to admit a new team from the city.

NRL chief executive David Gallop met WA mining magnate Tony Sage and Balmain great Ben Elias yesterday to discuss the bid for a Perth-based team and said a decision on expansion was likely to be made in the middle of next year.

However, a second Brisbane side remains favourite to get the nod first if the newly formed ARL Commission decides to expand the competition beyond 16 clubs because of the extra television revenue another team in south-east Queensland would generate.

Central Coast is the main opposition to Perth, with bids from Rockhampton, Port Moresby and Christchurch given little hope of gaining entry to the premiership at this stage.

Sage, who is estimated to be worth $800 million, already owns A-League franchise Perth Glory and Gallop said there were obvious synergies between his bid and Nathan Tinkler's Hunter Sports Group, which owns the Knights and Jets.

''The game will look at the expansion issue in the next few months and if a decision was taken to go beyond 16 teams then Perth is clearly a leading contender,'' Gallop said.

''Our recent research shows a surprising level of avid rugby league fans and with the population size, economy, time slot and stadium they are worthy of major consideration.

''[But] there are other areas that are also attractive, and making sure our existing 16 clubs are well looked after is a priority.''

If the competition was to be expanded in 2015 a decision would need to be made by the middle of next year, enabling officials to use the October 14 Test to assess the level of interest in the game in Perth.

NRL marketing director Paul Kind and NZRL boss Jim Doyle confirmed that Perth was under strong consideration to host the Test, with Townsville and Gold Coast believed to be the other leading options.

''Perth has put their hand up to host the Test in October and we are working through the process now,'' Doyle said.

''Obviously with the expansion of the game, if we think there is an interest over there and it is a good step to take the Test over there then that is something we would consider.''

The WARL has been trying to rebuild the game in the state since News Ltd disbanded the Perth Reds at the end of the Super League war in 1997, and Gallop encouraged Sage to work with the governing body.

''Any bid would need to have a strong connection to the grassroots of the game locally,'' Gallop said.

Looks like Gallop has suggested Sage get in touch with the WARL.

Also interesting that the media (both Fairfax and News Ltd.) are reporting that Brisbane II are the clear cut favourites - perhaps a staggered introduction of teams - Brisbane II in 2014/2015 then Perth in 2015/2016 - will be how this plays out.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Even Rugby Yawnion is behind the Reds

PERTH'S bid for entry into the NRL has received some unusual support - from the Western Force Super Rugby franchise.
Force officials believe nib Stadium could be given a full revamp if another sporting team used the venue.
At present, the Force and Perth Glory A-League sides use nib Stadium.
The WA government has committed $98 million for a partial renovation of the ageing ground but the presence of a third team could persuade the government to commit to a full reconstruction

"RugbyWA sees synergy in the introduction of a rugby league side into the Perth market, which would certainly add further impetus to the business case for a complete redevelopment of nib Stadium," RugbyWA chief executive Vern Reid said.


Former Western Reds forward Mark Geyer wants Perth back in the big time. "I think it's a fait accompli that we bring a Perth team in because of the time difference. It would be perfect for TV," he said.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/n...he-western-force/story-e6frfgbo-1226271203164

 

[Lockyer4President!]

Looks like the WA Reds are starting to build some real momentum if they've got the union and soccer mobs onside over there... Good stuff

 

[Perth Red]

he's saying $20m - is that not money that WA would want? the Reds "bid" is preferable for its groundwork, but surely your priority is a WA team? are you that gung-ho on it being the Reds? beggars can't be choosers.

.

Think you'll find he is after the NRL paying the $20mill, not himself!

I'd support any NRL team in Perth but I do not want to see what has happened in Melbourne repeated here. After 12 years of having an NRL team the VRL has hardly grown at all. I want to see a grass roots and jnr RL explosion in Perth on the back of our admission to the NRL. That will only happen if the WARL are major stakeholders in the NRL club.

Great news about the test. It would be need to be played at Patersons stadium as nib will be 1/2 demolished in October.

 

[Goddo]

Also interesting that the media (both Fairfax and News Ltd.) are reporting that Brisbane II are the clear cut favourites - perhaps a staggered introduction of teams - Brisbane II in 2014/2015 then Perth in 2015/2016 - will be how this plays out.

When the media suggest a "second Brisbane" they mean any one of Western Corridor, Brisbane Bombers or a possible Easts, Sunshine Coast or Redcliffe bid.

They don't specifically say "Bombers". Rather Brisbane will get another licence. Which wins is not so certain.

 

[Goddo]

Also there was this

Perth's NRL bid receives backing from rivals the Western Force

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...he-western-force/story-e6frexnr-1226271203164

 

[Perth Red]

Yet another one!
The NRL expansion bids from Western Australia and south-east Queensland's western corridor appear to be gaining momentum.
After a meeting in Sydney with league boss David Gallop yesterday, mining multi-millionaire Tony Sage and former Test hooker Ben Elias's plans for a WA team appear to have leapfrogged Central Coast Bears' bid.
Perth appears to now sit alongside Ipswich in pole position for when the Australian Rugby League Commission discusses expansion in June.


http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...pense-of-gosford/story-e6frep5x-1226271152635

 

[Perth Red]

The WA Rugby League should be the only bid for a Perth-based team in an expanded National Rugby League.

Richardson, who will bring the Rabbitohs to Perth for their game against the Brisbane Broncos next month, said the WARL bid should stand alone.
"You can't just parachute in. You have to be able to land the plane as well," he said. "You can't just come in with no knowledge of rugby league and no knowledge of running a rugby league club.
"There has to be credibility and knowledge. You have got to have a passion for the game of rugby. You are likely to lose money at the start and nobody loses money forever.
"If it wasn't for the WARL the game would not be in the healthy position it is in right now."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/sport/12910861/gloves-off-over-sage-nrl-bid/

This was full back page news in today's West Australian. The only time RL has taken over the back page aside from the Storm scandal! In the newspaper article Sage states that he will not be putting any of his money into the club and that it is Elias driving the idea.

 

[Perth Red]

he's saying $20m - is that not money that WA would want? the Reds "bid" is preferable for its groundwork, but surely your priority is a WA team? are you that gung-ho on it being the Reds? beggars can't be choosers.

.

As I suspected, he wants to own it, help it cut the costs of running the Glory but doesn't want to spend anything!

Sage has pumped $10 million into Glory but said he was not prepared to pour any money into an NRL franchise. "I don't want to be involved financially. I can get people to invest," he said

 

[BuffaloRules]

Sage has pumped $10 million into Glory but said he was not prepared to pour any money into an NRL franchise. "I don't want to be involved financially. I can get people to invest," he said. WARL chief executive John Sackson, whose involvement in the game stretches back to Super League when he was corporate development manager, questioned Sage's ability to attract sponsors.
"He has a sporting team at the moment and I don't see too many new sponsors involved in that," he said. "A case of picking up a team and plonking it here with no real connection or concern or care for the grassroots of the game, that's not our view.
"It's not just about coming in and buying a team in the NRL. It goes much deeper than that."

Sage is a 100/1 I reckon...

 

[Goddo]

I've been saying it for years now. If Perth and South East Queensland can put forward a viable bid they can not lose.

 

[Spitty]

I've been saying it for years now. If Perth and South East Queensland can put forward a viable bid they can not lose.

I agree but at the moment, viability is an issue.

The Reds are a little dicey financially. They say that they're confident their business plan will be viable. But it doesn't fill me with confidence.

Bombers appear viable, but without fan support those corporate backers will soon disappear as will the club.

And WC appear to be a fair way off viable.

But plenty of water to go under the bridge yet.

 

[Perth Red]

I agree but at the moment, viability is an issue.

The Reds are a little dicey financially. They say that they're confident their business plan will be viable. But it doesn't fill me with confidence.

.

Based on what? a few months ago the Reds bid announced they have a 7 figure main sponsor lined up plus plenty of interest from other companies. By my reckoning:

NRL Grant around $6mill
Income from fanbase $5mill
Corporate support ??

They need to be raising somewhere in the region of $5-7mill from other sources. The newly developed East stand will have a mass of corporate boxes, suites etc so as long as they can get business involved then it shouldn't be impossible. Of course things like getting the game live on FTA etc plays a massive part in corporate attractiveness so the ARLC needs to make sure it achieves those goals.

 

[adamkungl]

I have no doubts about Perth's ability to compete with at least the mid-range Sydney clubs and small city clubs financially. Nor CC or SE QLD bids - I think they'll all be pretty comfortable financially. If they all have a solid business plan this becomes close to a non-issue in terms of preference.