The Bears’ takeover bid has long-suffering Gold Coast fans daring to dream of a drought-breaking identity change, their first in almost ten years.
Jubilant fans erupted in celebration at the news of the potential $7 million takeover, with the region desperate to end a fruitless era of brand stability.
The news came as a shock to league pundits, with the Titans friendless as a genuine facelift chance in 2017, after being written off as too sustainable.
Despite this, those close to the club always maintained belief their current crop of woeful balance-sheets was enough to take them all the way.
This week’s reports have now elevated the belief that a fairytale sell-off is well within reach.
It’s been a long time between drinks for the Gold Coast region, with upheaval last tasted in 2007, upon the emergence of the Titans.
This followed a fairytale era of four remodels in ten years, a time in the region’s history fondly remembered as the game’s finest chameleon dynasty.
The area built a reputation as a hot spot for unemployed mascots and jersey trainspotters, eventually becoming known as league’s strongest brand for extinction.
However, the region has since struggled with the expectations that come with being the sport’s pre-eminent revolving door.
The disappointment has reached all-time highs in the Titans era, with the brand failing to live up to the hype with a gruelling decade of familiarity.
Over time, despite best-laid plans of poor recruitment, minimal community engagement, and rank financial management, the club’s stability has eroded the region’s hard-earned culture of transience.
Various managements attempted valiantly to restore past glories, with a number of strategies introduced to goad takeovers, ranging from failed building developments to Greg Bird.
But suitors remained at a distance, leading to the famous term that “waiting for the Titans to fold is like leaving the porch light on for Christopher Skase.”
However, following news of the Bears consortium’s top-secret takeover talks, the region is beginning to believe a return to the glory days is imminent.
Many see the Bears brand as a perfect fit for the area, chiefly for the fact that it doesn’t currently exist.
If the Gold Coast manages to meet terms and expunge the Titans, it will be a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for a region that just seven months ago was a strong, viable club in finals contention.
TigerMike
Guest
Bring back the Bears And undo West's Magpies v Tigers There's 2 new teams for the Comp
Bear Bunny
Guest
So if no investor will touch it then the Bears should double-down on it... yeah right. The Norths Leagues Club Board won't back it and aren't linked to Bears FC anyway. The current Bears Board are terrible!!! I've been a member for eleven years and attended games at NSO for over twenty years and never has it looked like such a joke... They haven't improved any aspect of the club in a decade! Most directors don't even know what's in their reports... The Bears have no money. They have two employees. The brand is dead. They have nothing to offer.
DoubleDown
Guest
Ahhhh I get it, you must be a Titans fan or have some stake in the club and you think commenting on The Roar will derail this proposal. At the end of the day, the Bears will only get the green light if the Titans can't get themselves investors. Titans will always get first dibs. Which means if the Titans can't get anyone to buy the club. The Bears will be the only organisation willing to invest in keeping a RL franchise on the Gold Coast.
DoubleDown
Guest
Why the anger Bear Bunny? Did Billy Moore kill your pet or something growing up?
Bear Bunny
Guest
No, it's six days before the Bears AGM...
Bear Bunny
Guest
Bears AGM in six days. These articles are just hype to build gossip so the Bears Board don't look as bad as they really are. They are terrible - nobody in North Sydney even knows they exist... The Bears have no money, no fans and no brand value - in Sydney, the Central Coast and especially in Queensland... Titans have more of all of these - in Queensland and in Sydney!
Bear Bunny
Guest
Actually, the North Sydney leagues club is a separate entity from the football club and has no obligation to it. And the leagues club just changed its branding from removing every bear from the club, inside and out, and its logos - totally disassociating itself from the football club to look less daggy. The leagues club (which owns Seagulls) doesn't have any obligation to fund Bears FC and only gives a token amount.
Bear Bunny
Guest
Haha BigDaddy, The Bears AGM is in six days - fantastic timing for this SCOOP. Your praise of the Board is just shameless politics masquerading as sports commentary. What exactly should we be praising? Some fake news released by the Board stoking the flames of people's dreams? You know it's a fake story and are deflecting the inevitable failure of the Bears onto the NRL. You're fake news. And the Bears Board are fake administrators!
Succhi
Guest
Not sure what angle they are taking. North Sydney have the cash through running clubs, but no NRL team. Titans have a team, but no club or money. The Gold Coast cannot afford to have yet another name change. Still room in SE QLD for another team - perhaps the Bears should focus on a new team rather than purchasing an existing, struggling one.
Footy 101
Guest
AFL have the numbers but it's still like watching a bunch of seagulls fight over a chip.
Agent11
Guest
blah blah blah yes the AFL is so amazing and does everything great etc It took one player for the Titans to go from anonymous to a sellout crowd and making news headlines in the space of a week. There is no one in AFL that could bring that attention to the Suns or Lions.
Fix the scrums
Guest
The Titans would be lucky to get close to 16000 these days. Even with Hayne on board it hasn't been great. The Suns aren't any better. But you watch the AFL start crowing about their 70000 plus crowds starting next week and ratings. The media machine will start talking a lot of AFL from about now. Won't make much difference in QLD but elsewhere the NRL will be up against some stiff competition. The NRL has had about 3weeks to themselves but hasn't really done much with it.
Clinen
Guest
Too many blue teams. Bring back the red and black attack.
Agent11
Guest
Gold coast average crowd since 2007 = 16,000 There would be lucky to be 3 sydney teams since 2007 with an average that high.
Fix the scrums
Guest
In reality, Brisbane needs a second team. The Titans should be up there or establish a new team in Brisbane. Fish where the fishings good, there's not a lot of bites on the Gold Coast. How many failures can they tolerate. Sydney is a real concern with crowds and ratings. Not many concerns with Brisbane and to the north in Qld. The AFL would love to have the Gold Coast to themselves. But even the ever expanding giant that is the AFL is finding it tough up there. Qld , from Brisbane upwards is league heartland these days.
Big Daddy
Guest
You have to give the Bear's management a bit of credit. They have persisted long and hard not only on central coast (which was obvious fit) but now if this successful buy out succeeds the only thing stopping them is the NRL. If they say no it is very obvious the NRL don't want Bear's back band it is lose , lose for NRL as this means they don't want expansion and they can't sell this franchise or Newcastle. The NRL need to have a good look at themselves as this is not a good look.
Jacko
Guest
The reason its Sydney people questioning their viability is because people from Sydney ( the NRL0 own them. Having a driven and focussed owner wont do them any harm but would need to somehow manage the two sets of fans for a couple of years
Footy 101
Guest
Who's idea was it to bring Gold Coast back in the first place after so many epic failures? It was as smart as nominating Charlie Sheen as a designated driver on a Friday night. Bears and Steelers can't come back but the NRL allowed a team back there. Clap, clap, clap.
Your kidding
Guest
Titans become Bears! Sounds a bit crazy doesn't it? So many attempts at a Gold Coast team. Makes you wonder. But the NRL don't want to give up and leave it to the AFL. It's a money pit.
M.O.C.
Roar Guru
Awesome, can I please add the Bears to my current Gold Coast Giants/Seagulls/Chargers/Titans memorabilia collection?