Another weekend, another successful membership drive. Over the past five days, the Central Coast Bears bid has had a shot to the arm. Almost Steve Rogers to Captain America like, the weakened Norths have been boosted by a super serum.
Now known as the Central Coast BEARS, the fledgling NRL franchise keep heading straight into their goals, full of momentum and there’s not a single thing anyone can do about it to stop it.
On Thursday 26th of August, the Central Coast Bears membership drive took post up in Lake Haven. Considered the most northern area of our territory and in borderline Knights country, the drive was a raging success.
$2,000 worth of merchandise sold and 96 members signed in one day. Truly, the supporters of this great club and promising bid must of been on cloud nine. Yet this was on a tiny scale compared to what happened in the next four days after.
Driving back down the Pacific Motorway for Saturdays Junior rugby league finals carnival held at the iconic North Sydney Oval, once again the Central Coast Bears posted up their membership stands and once again the results were fantastic. This time, on the back of a new $10 Junior Membership, the Central Coast Bears signed on another 50 or so new members.
The kids enjoyed every moment of the day and undoubtedly made better by the presence of their local NRL team. With memberships now at 2,500 and half way to our goal of 5,000 by March, things truly are looking good for the Central Coast Bears bid. But still the best was to come.
Sunday was a relatively quiet day but there was a storm of excitement building on the horizon and by Monday afternoon it rained, hailed and bucketed down some of the most promising news since the bid was conceived.
The NSW Labor Government had joined the Coalition (Mr. Joe Hockey in particular) and realised what an amazing opportunity the Central Coast Bears provide for the community of the Central Coast. $100,000 later and the ink is still wet on the dotted lines of the cheque.
The Central Coast Bears is now in a prime position to fully take advantage of an unbelievable wave of momentum.
NSW Premier Kristina Keneally, dressed in appropriate red and black colours, met with Greg Florimo and some of the smiling kids, who truly are the future of the Central Coast and the mighty Bears.
Finally the truth of it all starts to sink in.
Whilst other bids are happy with handshake and verbal agreements, the Central Coast Bears bid outright refuses to sit on their laurels. The only agreements that can be of any effect are contractual one. Agreements where money is physically pumped into an organisation and where initiatives are properly undertaken.
A fortnight ago, the Central Coast Bears announced a 10 per cent spike in memberships and new foundation sponsors. Many of those foundation sponsors are local Central Coast businesses. An important key to success is to incorporate community based companies into the team and the Central Coast Bears have just achieved this.
Now with local Foye Financial Services, CorpWrite, UBrandIt, Belle Properties BGC, CPS General, O’Gorman & Partners, Molly’s Cradle Wines, LA Group Building, Sorensen & Brown Solicitors joining the likes of Mortage House, Fortunity, Fone Zone, Sinalli, JJ. Lawson, Norths Leagues Club, Ooh! Media, NBN, ExCel Me, 2UE, StarFM, SeaFM, 2Go, Erina Fair, Rebel Sports and Good Gear. The sponsors are now part of the extended Central Coast Bears family.
With 2,500 members, the beautiful BlueTongue Stadium, $100,000 from the NSW Government and an undisclosed amount of equity. The further development of the coaching clinics, school and junior club programs and of course the successful Bears at work functions.
The next membership drive will again prove to be a storm of excitement.
The Central Coast Bears, 2013. If you thought it was hard to knock us back last week, it must be dead set impossible this week.
Col the Bear
Guest
spoken like a true Queenslander..
mr. redblackbear
Guest
Go the central coast bears, we have to expand the comp in pairs, NRL get it in your heads, that we wanna see the bears & reds. it will be a tradition rebirth, by bringing back the bears and Perth, we need to expand in areas where there's fans, who have a bid and who have a plan, it's time for us to toast, the coming of Perth and the central coast, it's been a long 12 years, where the red&black army have shed tears, from the hardwork we have earnt, our time for the mighty bears to return! Go the bears.
Charlie
Guest
I'm watching the footy right now and it's uneal. Titans carving up, what a great story they've been in the field. Expansion is no doubt needed. I'm an Ipswich local and I've lived here all my life. While we're all excited about the Ipswich NRL bid, I know there's an enormous amount of work needed in this bid. The likes of Central Qld and Perth are very advanced and have sponsors. They're impressive bids. In my view the Central Coast bid is the most comprehensive, their portfolio is indeed very impressive and their support is very strong. Realistically the Ipswich Bid needs a miracle to be ready and on par with the others by June 2011. At this moment Ipswich are building a foundation but like Central Qld we can further grow our credentials and really be a given in 2017. We're all excited about the Tv rights deal and changes to the anti siphoning laws. In 2013 we should have 2 teams but there's nothing stopping us from getting another bumper deal a few years later and then adding another 2. I'll be honest and say for now I favour and support the Perth and Central Coast bids for 2013. But if they get introduced let's ensure success so by 2017 the Central Qld region has a stadium and Ipswich has it's own comprehensive bid.
BearMan
Guest
Go bears. Go central coast. Go central coast bears.
Col the Bear
Guest
the coup was getting the AFL guys to hold up the CCBears stickers on the panel.. classic. there Mr Gallop... and also Adam Hawse, a North shore boy himself.. went to Asquith boys high.. and started out at the Hornsby advocate..he took a few CC Bears stickers for the cars..and they replayed the show on channel 10 at 11.15pm last night..edited down to an hour though..
Joell
Guest
Only enough room for one central at the next expansion rounds and that will be central coast bears. Central qld are nothing but amateur hour. They got nothing to do but hate on others bids. Lol they have what 10fans spread 800kms! Lol. Go you Bears!
TallTed
Guest
Bears, you beauty! I saw a bunch of guys in red & black on channel one last night! What a great sight! They got team of the week! GO THE MIGHTY BEARS!!!!!!
Col the Bear
Guest
half the crowd were CC Bears supporters, massive support from channel 10.. thankyou guys, and thankyou also benny elias for your support and bill woods great plug for the Bears.. keep the juggernaught rolling along you Bears...the studio and the cameras all ahd CCBears stickers on them by the end of the night.. just like the panels front desk..Great to be a Bear.. tomorrow night the CC Bears will be on the Central Coast, at the Junior rugby league club St Eddies Bears trivia night..we have a table booked.. so good to get amongst the community again..and next week for 4 days at the CC Oz tag gala days..
centralQLD
Guest
Bears got no hope!
BearLady
Guest
also saw many supporters on One HD yesterday while watching it with my husband. So happy! Go the C C Bears.
DonKirk
Guest
Hey saw a bunch of central coast bears supporters on Thursday night love on channel one HD. One dude was dressed like Obama. Haha. Great support your bid has already! Count me in. let's go Central coast Bears.
one
Guest
Hey just saw bear fans on channel one during Thursday night live tonight! Go the bears!
Col the Bear
Guest
I'm sure it's in the works Maven.. :-)
Col the Bear
Guest
Trevor to your answers Yes Yes and Yes..The Bears are based solely on the Central Coast they are the Central Coast team. we have booked ourselves into oz tag next week on the CC where the CC Bears will be there with a stall..we have already bought Mortgage house on board to help sponsor the juniors.. the Bears will not be leaving the Central Coast.. all home games will be at Gosford ,except for the heritage round which we have always been up front about and that will be played against manly at North sydney oval.. just the one game.. it'll be an event worth waiting for every year..The Name is the Central Coast.. not North sydney..our officies are already set up at Erina, majority of our staff our CC residents, why would we leave...?? for memberships go to our website www.centralcoastbears.com.au and that will have all details on how to become a member.. and central qld you are sounding a little desperate there mate.. come on I thought you had some ticker.. but you still didn't answer my question, will you still keep going if you miss out this time.. it's a fair question.. we have proven at the Bears we will..and have for 10 years, we have shown our longevity. so will you when expansion comes around for the next time in 17/18 will you still be pushing for your club.. I think the NRL want to see it first, and us and Perth have shown that and also with our crowds at our "Stadiums"....Wellington pulled out after 04 but the Bears kept going..
Maven
Guest
I was playing the new rugby league live game on ps3 and realized you cannot create the bears. They won't let you fit the name central coast bears or enable you to select a bear mascot. Yet these options were available in all previous carnations of the game on the old ps2 and wii consoles. I must admit I'm disappointed that people fail to see the passion us bears fans for our team. Time and time again people kick us in the guts. Be it new fans of other teams, the nrl, other bids or games. There is little bear love and that's just wrong.
CycloneCecill
Guest
haha central queensland is like a spread out old western. Good luck to em but geez the bears bid is ages in front. Come on central coast bears.
nagas
Guest
Central Coast Bears all the way baby.
CentralQueenslandNRL
Guest
http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2010/09/08/full-steam-ahead/ http://www.cqnrlbid.com.au/2010/09/qr-national-to-support-cq-nrl-bid/ QR National have got on board Central Qlds NRL bid as a sponsor. this is the death knell of the bears bid surely now. As soon as we get a stadium the central coast bears will have no hope of entering the comp. You guys fought a long and hard fight but the best bid, the central Queensland bid, just has too much clout, positivties, momentum and opportunity. More so then the old news bears. Central Queensland Bulls here we come!
cherchezLAfemme
Guest
Woohoo! Bring on the central coast bears! It would be nice to have a home team to cheer on!
Marty Hill
Guest
Central coast local from lake haven. I missed signing up as a member when they were up here last. How do I go about getting a membership or when will you guys be up here next? Anyways keep the great work going. Go you bears!