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  1. #31

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    Badel reporting on twitter that the NRL have rejected the Bears bid...
    https://twitter.com/badel_cmail?lang=en&lang=en

    - - - Updated - - -

    IT’S official — North Sydney’s brave battle to return to the big league is dead.

    The Courier-Mail can reveal the Bears have been placed in NRL hibernation after a North Sydney consortium failed in its attempt to win the Gold Coast licence.

    The Bears launched an ambitious $7 million bid to buy the Titans in March and formalised their plans last month when they were one of four consortia to submit a business proposal to the NRL.

    Under the plan, North Sydney would return to the top flight as the Gold Coast Bears, with the club to play two or three home matches at North Sydney Oval.

    But NRL hierarchy has put a red line through North Sydney’s proposal, ensuring Gold Coast fans will not see Titans games taken interstate.

    The battle for the Titans licence is now a two-horse race between the Rebecca Frizelle-Darryl Kelly consortium and a secret Gold Coast-based businessman.

    The Brisbane Bombers withdrew their $10m bid last week amid concerns over the long-term viability of a Titans club that is forecast to post another deficit next season.

    The Norths development is a devastating blow for the famous foundation club.

    Bears officials, led by general manager and former Test star Greg Florimo, have waged a 19-year fight to resurrect the club as an NRL force following North Sydney’s exit from the big league in 1999.

    Ultimately, the very issue that led to their demise two decades ago — a lack of money — has cruelled them again.

    It is understood the NRL had major concerns about the Bears’ latest bid after it emerged North Sydney Leagues Club, touted as key financial backers, had baulked at bankrolling a $7m buyout.

    Without Norths Leagues’ support, the bid effectively fell over — ending any hope of the Bears reviving their 91-year existence in the big league.

    Taking games away from Robina’s Cbus Super Stadium was another impediment. North Sydney faced paying a $110,000 levy to the Queensland government for every Titans home game that was shifted from the Robina complex.

    The NRL will complete the sale of the Titans by the end of November with the governing body saying it is crucial the new owners are committed to the Gold Coast region.

    “The final bids have been lodged and are currently being evaluated,” an NRL spokesman said.

    “There will be a range of criteria which determine the best owners for the Titans.

    “While the financial offer is one of those factors, we also want to do the best thing by the Gold Coast and their fans.

    “We want the owners to have a genuine interest and support for the Gold Coast.”

    Business tycoon Norm Black, whose company TripADeal sponsors the Titans, applauded the NRL’s decision to reject the Bears.

    “The Gold Coast Bears would have been a disaster,” he said.

    “It wouldn’t have worked. You can’t dilute the Titans brand. You are either a North Sydney supporter or a Titans supporter.

    “They were poles apart.

    “Look at what the game tried to do with the Northern Eagles. Geographically they (Norths and Manly) were side-by-side and it still didn’t work.”

  2. #32
    Rep Player ozynorts's Avatar
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    I hope that for once Badel has written a story with truth in it.

  3. #33
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    Good work DieHard and everyone that signed the petition if true (touch wood)

  4. #34

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    I wonder if the mystery GC businessman is the bid that Titanic referred to as being a bit disenchanted with the process? If it's not him then it would the Kelly gang and I hope to Christ that's not the case.
    I'd love to know who the mystery bidder is.

  5. #35
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    How much can North Sydney bear? Good riddance to bad rubbish.
    Four reasons to escape to Queensland: Sun, Surf, Sand & the Titans.

  6. #36
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    I think that'd be the first article of Badel's I've read where he hasn't made mention of his beloved Drongoes..

    Was never too concerned about the NS Bears bid. With the news that the North Sydney Leagues Club backed out of any financial backing, it should finally silence these Wally's once and for all.

  7. #37

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    I don't think I can "bear" it (see what I did there). Fingers crossed two lots of good news in one day. Hayne the Stain going and the Bears being placed in hibernation. My weekend is complete.

  8. #38
    Administrator DIEHARD's Avatar
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    Hell yes!!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Bods
    Good work DieHard and everyone that signed the petition if true (touch wood)
    Thank you. I felt it was about time we went on the front foot, let's keep it up!

    I'm delighted, looking forward to more confirmation. Babel really turns it up, there is nothing 'brave' about undermining our club for years.

    Norm Black from TripADeal correctly points out the Bears previous record on trying to maintain a club (A joint venture) in two different locations, trying to appeal to two different markets. It didn't work then and it'd have been an even bigger cluster**** now.

    Quote Originally Posted by Babel
    It is understood the NRL had major concerns about the Bears’ latest bid after it emerged North Sydney Leagues Club, touted as key financial backers, had baulked at bankrolling a $7m buyout.

    Without Norths Leagues’ support, the bid effectively fell over — ending any hope of the Bears reviving their 91-year existence in the big league.
    I'm happy to have nailed them in the petition on this issue.

    Quote Originally Posted by Save The Titans
    The North Sydney Bears have been able to run riot in the media, a media which has morphed into something approximating an arena of gossip magazines and clickbait, and they have done so with little scrutiny to who is funding their bid, does it have Norths Leagues funding? (They even backed out of their Central Coast Bears bid years ago), their track record of their involvement with the failed Northern Eagles joint venture and allowing them to circulate research claiming that they have “500,000 supporters in Queensland.”
    PUT EM TO THE SWORD! SHOW SOME STEEL!

    Moejoe: "REMEMBER!!!! SLIP - SLOP - SLAP in the sun. Skin Cancer is a growing problem. It could happen to anyone!!"
    TITANS, DIEHARDS, WARRINGTON WOLVES, MAROONS, KANGAROOS, HONG KONG THUNDER

  9. #39

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    so its the Kelly Gang or the Brisbane Bombers folk.

    Kelly by a country mile, and i cant help but think it was always a forgone conclusion that Kelly / Frizelle would prevail, The bombers group were the next best sounding option if we were to believe and trust their media quotes as being authentic

  10. #40
    Administrator DIEHARD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DavidBouveng View Post
    so its the Kelly Gang or the Brisbane Bombers folk.

    Kelly by a country mile, and i cant help but think it was always a forgone conclusion that Kelly / Frizelle would prevail, The bombers group were the next best sounding option if we were to believe and trust their media quotes as being authentic
    Article says...

    The Brisbane Bombers withdrew their $10m bid last week amid concerns over the long-term viability of a Titans club that is forecast to post another deficit next season.
    PUT EM TO THE SWORD! SHOW SOME STEEL!

    Moejoe: "REMEMBER!!!! SLIP - SLOP - SLAP in the sun. Skin Cancer is a growing problem. It could happen to anyone!!"
    TITANS, DIEHARDS, WARRINGTON WOLVES, MAROONS, KANGAROOS, HONG KONG THUNDER

  11. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by DavidBouveng View Post
    so its the Kelly Gang or the Brisbane Bombers folk.

    Kelly by a country mile, and i cant help but think it was always a forgone conclusion that Kelly / Frizelle would prevail, The bombers group were the next best sounding option if we were to believe and trust their media quotes as being authentic
    Quote Originally Posted by DIEHARD View Post
    Article says...



    It seems I can't paste you reply Brad but you must forgive DB...He still maybe missing sleep with his little one... I know I am coz my daughter and SIL have moved in whilst they build and their little twinnies (although I love them to death) are ageing me at an alarming rate.

  12. #42
    Immortal Titanic's Avatar
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    Just to clarify ... it’s down to the Kelly Gang and a mystery bidder.
    Four reasons to escape to Queensland: Sun, Surf, Sand & the Titans.

  13. #43

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    Quote Originally Posted by Titanic View Post
    Just to clarify ... it’s down to the Kelly Gang and a mystery bidder.
    And the mystery bidder is the bloke that visited you in hosp. that was disgruntled with the process? Correct?

    Hope you are on the mend by the way.

  14. #44
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    On the mend and ‘no’ to the mysterious buyer.
    Four reasons to escape to Queensland: Sun, Surf, Sand & the Titans.

  15. #45

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    [B]Badel at it again and Koukash, what a tosser![B]


    British billionaire Marwan Koukash rules out buying Gold Coast Titans

    Peter Badel, The Sunday Mail (Qld)
    November 4, 2017 5:18pm
    Subscriber only

    BRITISH billionaire Marwan Koukash has ruled out buying the Titans, claiming the club has no future on the Gold Coast after amassing a $12 million debt in the past four seasons.

    As the NRL prepares to sell the club, The Sunday Mail has uncovered the true financial health of the Titans, which continues to haemorraghe millions almost three years after the governing body took control of the licence.

    Official NRL accounting data, leaked exclusively to The Sunday Mail, paints a grim picture of the Gold Coast’s revenue streams and the battle ahead for prospective owners to turn the Titans into a viable operation.

    Since the start of 2014, the Titans have lost a staggering $12,627,461. According to NRL bean counters, the Titans racked up a $3.17 million debt this season, another half-a-million dollar blowout on the club’s $2.63 million deficit in 2016.

    The Titans are by no means a financial anomaly in a code drowning in red ink. The NRL’s 16 clubs lost a collective $53.4 million last year, with the Brisbane Broncos the only outfit to record a profit despite the $1 billion in media money that has flowed into the game’s coffers over the past five seasons.

    But Gold Coast’s chequered history with sporting franchises — rugby league alone has seen four failed attempts in the region — has raised fears as to whether the Titans can truly flourish as an NRL force.

    Koukash is sceptical. The flamboyant tycoon, who last month sold English club Salford after four years of ownership, has dreams to buy an NRL licence and has been linked with a Titans sell-off.

    But after reviewing Gold Coast’s finances, the 59-year-old declared he has no interest in being part of the bid process, fearing the Titans cannot be salvaged.

    “I want to clear this up. I am not in the running for the Titans licence. I won’t be making an offer,” Koukash told The Sunday Mail from England.

    “I would be interested in buying an NRL club in the future, but I won’t buy the Titans. Unfortunately, I can’t see the Titans ever being successful unless there are drastic changes.

    “I’ve learnt from my lessons getting involved in Super League with Salford. I need to make sure, if I get involved in the NRL, that it’s the right relationship and the right club for me.

    “The Titans are losing a lot of money and they will continue to lose money.

    “I would like to see the Titans be sustainable and see it grow, but I’m not totally convinced any NRL team can survive on the Gold Coast.”

    As Koukash can attest, running rugby league teams, be it in England or Australia, is an expensive exercise. The Titans’ next owners, most likely the Rebecca Frizelle-Darryl Kelly consortium, face some daunting fiscal challenges.

    This season, it cost the NRL $18.3 million to run the Titans. Of that figure, $12.5 million was spent on the football department, including wages and superannuation for the Titans’ NRL full-time squad, head coach Neil Henry and his support staff.

    The new owners will hope the NRL’s next five years of grants will future-proof the club.

    In 2018, the Titans, like every NRL club, will receive a $12.4 million grant from the NRL. After $9.4 million is spent on player payments under the salary cap, the Titans will be left with a $3 million surplus.

    The challenge for the new owners, then, is to find additional revenue streams to cover other operational costs such as the stadium hiring fee for Cbus Super Stadium, which was $1.3 million last season.

    Titans chief executive Graham Annesley has worked overtime to streamline the club’s budgets. He scoffed at suggestions the Gold Coast region cannot sustain an NRL team.

    “Over the last three years of NRL ownership, the Titans have become one of the most prudent, cost effective operations in the NRL,” he said.

    “The Gold Coast is Australia’s sixth-largest city with an outstanding national and international profile. It is right in the middle of rugby league heartland with around 6000 junior players in the local region.

    “This club is only just over a decade old and it is potentially one of the powerhouses of the NRL competition.

    “We have well-connected independent governance, experienced management, incredibly committed staff, first-class facilities, and a quality playing roster.

    “All the building blocks are in place, we just have to deliver consistently credible on-field performances, and I’m very confident we are on the cusp of doing just that.”

    Koukash believes the NRL are better off relocating the Titans licence to create a second team in Brisbane.

    “If the licence was moved to Brisbane I would definitely look to buy the club,” he said.

    “I know you would get a lot of resistance in wanting to move the Titans, but Brisbane is a bigger market. The Titans will not work were they are now.

    “I don’t want an NRL club just for the ego, I need a club that I think can be successful. A second team in Brisbane would be successful.”


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