Last week was full of good news for the Central Coast Bears bid team. On Thursday, David Gallop was very upbeat after being presented with an update on the bid by Greg Florimo and his team, and on Friday came the news of a breakthrough in negotiations regarding the establishment of an Independent Commission.
The final roadblock to possible NRL expansion is the resolution of an enhanced TV rights deal, expected to be finalized by mid-2011.
Whilst many league followers believe the Central Coast should have a team in an expanded competition, some claim the Central Coast should have its ‘own’ team – let’s call it the ‘Breakers’, playing in blue and yellow.
A brief look at the major factors considered in determining a licence reveals there is only one plausible option.
1. TV Revenue & merchandising
Expansion will only take place into areas that can increase revenues to the game. As the 2nd most watched team of the 1990’s, David Gallop has consistently stated the possibility of reconnecting with the Bears’ fan base is a major attraction of the Central Coast bid.
He has estimated over 400,000 people were lost to the game as a result of the Super League war, and re-establishing a Foundation Club will, it is hoped, regain the interest of most of these fans.
A Central Coast Breakers team would have the support of the Central Coast but nowhere else, hence there is no growth area.
For the same reasons outlined above, merchandise sales would be significantly higher for a Bears rather than Breakers franchise. As an interesting sidepoint for those of a marketing bent, the most saleable colour combination in international sport is……red and black.
2. Sponsorship
The Bears team already has strong corporate support centered around North Sydney and North Ryde. The attraction to companies such as Mortgage House is twofold – firstly, a diverse demographic comprising over 700,000 people on the north shore and 320,000 on the Central Coast … and secondly a chance to be involved in a truly great Australian story of perseverance and righteousness.
The support garnered for the bid in these economic times is remarkable and a tribute to the hard work of the bid team, but what corporate wouldn’t want to be associated with such a feel good story?
The potential support available on the Central Coast for a Breakers team is largely limited to the Central Coast where the smaller target market obviously provides a smaller corporate appeal.
3. Competition
With 10 years in the NRL wilderness, the damage done to the code on the north shore is palpable. The North Sydney District Junior Rugby League has remaining strongholds in the corridor stretching from the Hills District to Berowra, but this is under increasing pressure from soccer and AFL.
With the GWS franchise to base its players in the Hills District, it is a direct threat to this region for the NRL.
Encompassing the region within an NRL franchise assists the code at junior and senior levels, by granting a visual pathway to the NRL and allows the Bears administrators and players access to junior teams and schools for mentoring and coaching, thus providing an increased number of participants in the sport and for the NRL in the future.
4. Crowds
No one disputes that either a Bears or Breakers NRL team would average over 15,000 per year at Bluetongue stadium. The advantage of a Bears’ bid is the away crowd support, particularly in Sydney.
Bears supporters in Sydney will be on the doorstop of all stadiums in Sydney, ensuring 7-8,000 Central Coast + northern Sydney away fans to most games in Sydney. A Central Coast only away crowd would add only 3-4,000 on average.
This will be a major attraction to other NRL teams wary of adding teams to the NRL and is a unique advantage.
There are also a sizeable number of Bears fans in QLD following the successful recruitment programs in the late 80’s and 90’s, who will swell crowd numbers in particularly Brisbane, the Gold Coast and CQLD if and when admitted.
5. Junior teams
For the Breakers, the local talent would come from the 17 junior teams on the Central Coast and for the Bears, 6 can be added from the North Sydney District to make a total of 23. Last I heard, 23 was more than 17, meaning more talent and therefore greater depth with the Bears bid.
6. Sustainability
For all the reasons above, the Bears bid is the more likely to have long term survival.
A strong business plan is the foremost requirement, with diverse forms of income that can sustain a team in good and bad times – I hear the Bears will have a model second to none in the league, with cash reserves approaching $6 million ( more announcements coming soon)!
The Breakers would need a ‘white Knight’, but this model is frowned upon by the NRL – the Gold Coast soccer franchise is a classic example of why!
It is almost meaningless talking about any option other than the Bears for the Central Coast for the simple reason that no better alternative can ever be put on the table.
The Bears have been working since 1991 towards this end, were largely responsible for building the stadium (still owning 20 percent with a 10 year lease on playing rights) and are passionate and committed to the cause of bringing a team to the Central Coast.
If anyone deserves a break, it’s the Bears.
Col the Bear
Guest
yes it will be our history.. our first grandfinal appearance since 1943 and so forth..we will have 9 or more seperate design jerseys which we can choose for the NRL heritage rounds..encompassing the historic club from 1908 ie this is the jersey we wore in the 43 GF or this was the strip we wore in the 22 premiership, or this was our 1908 design jersey etc..thats why the CCBears will also be a marketing bonanza..
Beowulf
Guest
You're right Dan, the CC Bears will be recognised as a Foundation Club with history in the top flight of 1908-1999, 2013-........for exactly the reasons you point out. It's a major selling point in reconnecting with Bears fans.
danwighton
Guest
As far as I was aware, the main question is whether there will be a team on the CC, as opposed to whether it will be a bears team. It seemed a foregone conclusion that the bears would be the CC team if it were to be admitted - and I would say that teams such as Cronulla have missed the boat if they were to move to the CC. I didnt know there was still any doubt. Does anyone know whether the Bears will be reinstated with their complete history? Playing records, appearances, premierships etc (like Souths), as opposed to a new entity like the Titans? I think the Titans - to an extent - missed the opportunity to take advantage of this history, the possibility to see teams of the century with Scott Prince and Wally Lewis in the halves etc. I would hope that Norths would do the same as Souths - i.e. officially they were in the comp from 1908 to 1999, 2013 - present. I think it would be a great story to say that the Bears will be playing for their first premiership since 1922 - and will appeal to all the old bears fans who remember waiting so long..
babybear
Guest
thank you beowulf you are right the central coast bears bid team have been working towards the one goal and that is to bring a team to the central coast. we can help for $30.00 everybody can join the central coast bears and be a paid up member until dec 2012. your membership will help the bid team their aim is 5000 members by march 2011 that leave only 3000 to go of course it would be fantastic to present the nrl with more so get to work everybody birthdays, fathers day early christmas presents just log onto www,centralcoastbears.com.au. get on board now be a part of sporting history here comes the mighty central coast bears in 2013.
Tom
Guest
Go bears
Beowulf
Guest
Spot on.
Beowulf
Guest
Absolutely unbelievable! I think its a last ditch effort to squeeze more to their viewpoint, but I don't think even the dinosaurs on the QRL would stop the IC now...the teams with News and the NRL's consent would just form their own 'breakaway' organisation, form the IC model agreed to and the QRL would become irrelevant.
Territory Terry
Guest
I don't know who is whingeing about the Bears on the Central Coast and saying they should have the Breakers or some other sub-standard name. That's the unfortunate thing about society, no matter how much hard work you do there's always a small proportion of sooks who'll try to derail you. I reckon if you got all the opponents of the CC Bears together you wouldn't have enough people to fill a Hyundai let alone a stadium.
Beowulf
Guest
Howdy Col, agree with you re the memberships - my family membership would be cancelled if it wasn't the CC Bears. I think I mentioned at the bottom paragraph about playing rights -maybe its 11, not 10 however!
col the bear
Guest
good article.. and everything I've been saying for years..people have to realise it's the Bears who are putting this bid together.. get on board the CCBears now, and enjoy the ride..one thing you did forget to add is that the Bears do have 21 years playing rights to the stadium, I figure thats 11 to go.. Singleton in the Sunday telegraph, a couple of days ago, come out publicly supporting the CC Bears bid.. not financially, but publicly, supporting what Greg Florimo and David Fairleigh and the Bid team are doing..he said he had a crack back in 2004 and now it's Flos and Daisy go..but will support it.. By June next year we all should know if the Bears bid has finally been excepted..as the 17th licence..also the Sponsors have come on board the Bears.. the 2000 paid members have signed up for the Bears.. thats who we become members of..theCentral Coast Bears my membership and all my families memberships will be cancelled if it's not the CC Bears.. and I'm sure many feel the same way.. We're paid up members for the CC Bears..and thats who we want as the 17th licence..
Fivehole
Guest
possible fly in the ointment...bloody queenslanders, we need the IC ASAP! http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/not-so-fast-qrl-wants-better-deal-20100802-113es.html
Beowulf
Guest
Agree Fivehole...I suspect a lot of player managers will be telling their clients to only sign up to the end of 2012 to take advantage of Bears + one (probably WA Reds) entry, and increased salary caps ensuing from (hopefully) an enhanced TV deal.
Fivehole
Guest
No arguments here. We just need the NRL to give the bears a starting date so they can get on with recruitment process
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
As stated AFL has had a growing presence in the Hlls district.The reentry of the Bears on the North side will help not only to invigorate the code on the Nth shore but provide much needed financial support to areas such as the Hills district.If you have sufficient funding you can defend against other sports.if you also have an nRL team to follow that is anoother means of being defensively stronger.
rugbyfuture
Roar Guru
the afl are actually basing their players in breakfast point, with a strong push towards the hills district for juniors.