The Central Coast Bears have just announced a multi-million dollar sponsorship with Mortgage House. This has been achieved BEFORE they have secured an NRL licence.
Yet, the Bears have fought to survive after ten long years in the wilderness.
In this time, they have seen an NRL licence awarded to a Gold Coast franchise which didn’t have a name, stadium or funding. Further, David Gallop then offered $10 million to any existing club to relocate to Gosford – but not the Bears – knowing full well this would kill the Bears off once and for all.
It’s time for this fraud to end.
David Gallop, you should stop the $10 million relocation carrot NOW, and give the Central Coast Bears their licence.
If not, then serious questions about the integrity of rugby league need to be raised.
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September 29th 2009 @ 2:31am
Wayne of Windale said | September 29th 2009 @ 2:31am | Report comment
I can’t believe anyone would ask questions about the integrity of rugby league.
September 29th 2009 @ 8:59am
oikee said | September 29th 2009 @ 8:59am | Report comment
Stop whinging, the Bears will be back 2013. And my other bet is a team from Wellington.
September 29th 2009 @ 10:27am
Rodney McDonell said | September 29th 2009 @ 10:27am | Report comment
The relocation money offered by the NRL as i understand it would not be just for relocation to the CC. It is funds offered to help any club that wishes to relcoate anywhere. The NRL have since pulled the plug on offering 8 or 10 millions dollars straight out and have instead opened it’s purse to options: Any club that can provide a sound business plan and why they need the amount of money they want to relocate will be seriously considered.
September 29th 2009 @ 11:05am
Robbo said | September 29th 2009 @ 11:05am | Report comment
RED AND BLACK – WE’RE COMING BACK!
September 29th 2009 @ 11:16am
The Link said | September 29th 2009 @ 11:16am | Report comment
Gruffalo – they’ll be back and as i’ve said elsewhere it’ll be another step towards repairing the damage done 15 years ago when the game almost canabalised itself. The derby games against Manly at North Sydney oval once a year would almost be worth it alone.
Repair the injustice, solidify the foundations, then move on to expansion in WA, QLD and NZ.
September 29th 2009 @ 11:22am
AndyRoo said | September 29th 2009 @ 11:22am | Report comment
I don’t think CC fans would mind that much if it’s not a brand new team.
Afterall the bears did play their part in getting the stadium built and they don’t have alot of the baggage someone like Cronulla or Manly would have if they relocated.
September 29th 2009 @ 12:26pm
Tom Alexander. said | September 29th 2009 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
Bring the Bears back, bring back a 2nd team in Brisbane, re-admit the Perth Reds and maybe a second team in NZ. Who-ever was responsible for destroying what we had back in 1995 should be lined up against a large wall and shot. Fair dinkum, except for Balmain and Illawarra, we went through 15 years of confusion (hell), only to end up back where we pretty much started.
September 29th 2009 @ 5:52pm
mushi said | September 29th 2009 @ 5:52pm | Report comment
Destroying what we had in 1995? Who ever had the commonsense to put an end to an over expanded, diluted quality, cannibalising structure with a massive cost base should get a medal for services to the rest of the NRL.
September 29th 2009 @ 6:43pm
Pippinu said | September 29th 2009 @ 6:43pm | Report comment
mushi
an interesitng perspective – not a popular one I imagine – you have to admit though that many fans paid a heavy price (as did many South Melbourne and Fitzroy fans here in Melbourne).
Rationalisaiton is often very tough on a lot of people – is it generally for the greater good? The experience in both the AFL and the NRL over the last 20 years tells us that it normally is.
September 29th 2009 @ 10:00pm
Hansie said | September 29th 2009 @ 10:00pm | Report comment
Rugby league in 1995 was on the crest of a wave, being massively popular and other codes were watching with envy. Then Rupert rode into town, promising to take rugby league to the world, and all that happened was hundreds of millions of dollars going up against the wall and rugby league taking a black eye.
September 29th 2009 @ 10:20pm
Pippinu said | September 29th 2009 @ 10:20pm | Report comment
Rugby League was in an interesting place in 1995 with 20 teams – a very large professional comp by Australian standards.
It set a new attendance record for League that year, with a touch over 3 million attending games.
But it has to be said that that was achieved with a very high 220 games played.
The comp has matched that attendance record this year with far fewer games.
It’s one that could be argued either way (whether the game today is a lot better than it was in 1995).
I saw the Crusher’s final game in their one and only season, and let me tell you – it wasn’t pretty!!
September 29th 2009 @ 4:15pm
Mick from Giralang said | September 29th 2009 @ 4:15pm | Report comment
Agree we need a team back in Perth as well. The Reds made giant strides in the three years they were in the comp — we need them back, along with Central Coast.
September 29th 2009 @ 4:46pm
Andystath said | September 29th 2009 @ 4:46pm | Report comment
Gallops living in fear of a RED and BLACK planet.
September 29th 2009 @ 7:09pm
prowling panther said | September 29th 2009 @ 7:09pm | Report comment
bring back the Bears but axe the sharks first. No one likes them because they are a horrible brand.
An interesting stat – The storm drew roughly the same crowd that the sharks did in the correponding prelim last year despite the storm playing on afl gf day.