On the surface, it’s hard to see any problem with the proposal to resuscitate the North Sydney Bears on the Gold Coast.
My colleague Chris Garry, of The Courier-Mail, explained to me during the World Club Series that Hollywood now has a 25-year rotational policy for franchises like superhero movies.
Basically, after 25 years people get nostalgic for familiar things – and they generally have more money than they did a quarter-century ago – so unless you do a particularly crappy job of reviving said cultural icon, you’re going to make a motza.
The Bears have been gone as a top flight side now for just under 20 years.
Nostalgia is a powerful thing and the trademarks of the past in rugby league probably aren’t being utilised as well as they could be, with a few notable exceptions such as Newtown.
One of the ‘whole of game’ strategy’s major considerations should have been to bring back, and leverage, old brands.
How do you get city dwellers interested in the Platinum League? You put the Balmain Tigers, Illawarra Steelers, Western Suburbs Magpies etc in it. Some diehards would suddenly be more interested in the Platinum League than the NRL (perhaps including me).
Again, there seems to be an insecurity at play – a concern that the trusted old brands will out-perform the new ones.
Certainly the makers of throwback jerseys and memorabilia understand the subconscious triggers that Kerry Boustead dressed as Bruce Springsteen on the cover of Rugby League Week can set off.
But back to the Gold Coast Bears.
The tourist strip franchise lost some of its lustre under the previous management when local tradesmen were not paid and anecdotally some of these people are still staying away.
How many fans feel emotionally attached to the light blue and gold to the extent they would not go back if it was red and black?
No reason, then, the big black Bears should not be back on the road again.
A quick word on the World Club Series.
Rugby league in Australia is not perfect. Rugby league in England is even less perfect. History and money are responsible for most of the imperfections.
The money in rugby league is in Sydney. It gobbled up Newcastle, Canberra and Wollongong, then Brisbane, the Gold Coast and North Queensland, then New Zealand. Eventually – maybe it will take advanced air travel, maybe it won’t – the money in Sydney will gobble up England too.
In the meantime, just look upon the World Club Series as interstate football, pre-State of Origin. It’s what we have until natural evolution of the rugby league business gives us something better.
DoubleDown
Guest
It's good to have a presence there but the Dragons playing no games in the Gong doesn't eliminate the pathway. They would still be aligned with theSteelers (Cutters now) in the NSW Cup.
DoubleDown
Guest
What better way to attract young fans than with an appealing Bear mascot? The Bears brand isn't just for the old heads. It provides great merchandising opportunities that kids love and will get them hooked.
DoubleDown
Guest
That's because they aren't a team yet. But don't forget the CC Bears bid had over 7,000 paying members, and over 30k (from memory) facebook fans. That no doubt would have ballooned if the bid was approve and once a team started playing.
kebab connossieur
Guest
Here's what the Bears do when they taken over Gold Coast. Rebadge the team to something like Gold Coast Bears first, then keep going on in the media about how the Gold Coast public needs to start showing up to matches, they won't so then it allows for a relocation. Relocate the club to Gosford a couple of games at a time until after 10 years they are playing all their games there. Then split the games with North Sydney Oval and repeat the process again. North Sydney Bears get back in by stealth.
81paling
Roar Rookie
NEWS will never allow another Brisbane team, so if this idea fails then off to Perth they go, hmmm Perth Bears, it might work.
81paling
Roar Rookie
Agent11 is unfortunately correct, now that Dave Smith has gone the vested interests are back in power. The power clubs in Sydney are back in charge with Bronco's owner NEWS right beside them. Sadly the days of Cowboys/ Raiders & Knights premierships are over again. The papers will tell us the Bears on the Central Coast should never come back (it does not help Moanly or increase pay TV subscription) & if GC subscribe heavily to Fox VFL channel then they can kiss their francise goodbye also. Brisbane # 2 is something that everybody either side of the boarder wants but, as Agent11 told us the overlords will not let it happen because it fails to increase subscribers for pay TV. My bet is next stop Perth as that has the greatest potential for new NRL pay TV subscribers without any outlay to FOX.
PGNEWC
Guest
"yeah, the roosters would steal them all" -- you mean they dont already? and NZ and SQ and CQ and Newie
Glenn Innes
Guest
How can you put a "Sydney " team into QLD surely an a oxymoron? If they play out of QLD they are a QLD team not a Sydney team.North Sydney are not in the NRL and never will be, a team running around on the Gold Coast represents the Gold Coast regardless of what it might adopt as a nickname. Steve I grew up in Brisbane in the seventies seen the movie read the book,What elite talent there is in England will soon be playing exclusively in the NRL and that will kill off the English comp just like it did the Brisbane comp, but for geographical reasons they will not have the get out of gaol card of entering a team in the Sydney comp like Brisbane did(by 1987 the average crowd at Lang Park for Sunday match of the round was about 3000) That is the fate that awaits super;League now NRL clubs have decided to start raiding it, Every kid who can play a bit disappears to the other side of the world returning when they are old bald and fat.The great irony is the biggest current threat to English Rugby League is Australian Rugby League, unless some way can be found to integrate England into the Australian game,
Rellum
Roar Guru
I still can't work out out Sydney people still can't grasp that putting a Sydney team into QLD is not a good idea. They just assume out of arrogance and ignorance we will embrace it .
Johnno
Guest
Burleigh Bears are on Gold Coast now in QLD Cup/
Parra
Guest
Agree, there is no other option for the Bears if they want admission to the NRL. It's a commercial reality that 16 teams is about the right number for1st grade. There is promotion relegation that would admit all teams increasing the games footprint in perhaps two divisions but I'm not sure and much has already been said on this topic. Still, I don't see any other option to address all the teams wanting in?
nerval
Guest
Some of what Nerval wrote didn't rhyme.
Dutski
Roar Guru
I got one a bus with Greg Florimo once. He said "you want that seat mate"? I said "Nah, you're right." Glory days. (Sighs fondly )
JohnnoMcJohnno
Roar Rookie
Then how come nothing you write rhymes?
nerval
Guest
My birth name was Gérard Labrunie, but my pen name is Gérard de Nerval. I'm one of the foremost French symbolist poets of the 19th century...
Mat D
Guest
Is your surname Bennett by any chance ? :-)
nerval
Guest
You're the one, Mat D to mock "Uncle Wayne's " chances of reviving England's fortunes v Australia - based primarily on the recent World Club series. I merely pointed out that England's national side have recently defeated an all-NRL selection NZ side - so what's the excuse there? If not one of the Kiwis was one of those mediocre Super League players, what's their excuse for losing? And it is a statement of fact to point out that Australia have lost their last 3 meetings v NZ. It's a long shot for sure, but just imagine that Bennett does it. It would be a tremendous feat in all sorts of ways and, in one fell swoop, would revivify English rugby league and international rugby league fortunes.
Keepers
Guest
The Broncos now have Logan. The NRL are just plain weak letting this happen
Keepers
Guest
Riley a lot of people in Logan really like the Titans and the Broncos should not have been allowed this region. Logan south to Ballina should be Titans territory. The Bears coming to the Gold Coast is the worst idea I've heard in years. NSWRL is a basket case and a nsw side in qld lose them fans and any chance to remain. All the Titans need is the NRL to rein the Broncos junior net. Gold Coast brothers aligned with Logan brothers would be a much smarter move. The main thing is the Broncos don't need Logan but while the NRL own the Titans if they secured this region as part of the gold coasts catchment and promoted in the region the Titans would thrive. The Bears as a platinum league side eventually aligned with a Perth franchise.
Mat D
Guest
Do you honestly believe "Uncle Wayne" can gather a Pommie side together to beat an Aussie side filled with superstars. You can't compare a win by England over an NZ team last year or anytime in the past just as you can't predict who will win any game each week in the regular NRL season. Just because The Poms beat NZ and NZ has beaten Australia doesn't equal the nonsense that The Poms will therefore beat Australia. Every International game contains new players, a different atmosphere, a possible home ground advantage, etc, etc.... That's like saying because Newcastle beats The Broncos in a game, and they meet again a month later it follows that Newcastle will beat the Broncos again. If you know anything about the game the one certainty is the " uncertainty and unpredictability" of each game played. The point I am making is that with the players Australia now has on hand they should demolish any International team in any International comp and probably will. It just so happens that " Uncle Wayne " won't get the credit. For once he won't have the world's best players to work with which is one of the reasons he has had success at both International and club level. If Leeds is the example of what's available for the Poms, and you throw in the Burgess brothers, it's still not enough for " Uncle Wayne " to lift an International trophy. Anyway, maybe we can refer to this article when the time comes that the Aussies have once again won when it really counts.