SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – 1993: Greg Florimo of the North Sydney Bears celebrates with fans during a NSWRL match held at North Sydney Oval 1993, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Getty Images)
Despite the NRL coming under fire for their handling of the Dolphins’ introduction as the competitions’s 17th team, the Bears are ready to expand it to 18 teams – and they’ve got the money to back their notions.
Similarly to fellow foundation club South Sydney, the North Sydney Bears were excluded from the NRL at the conclusion of the 1999 season, however,r unlike their red-and-green counterparts, the Bears never got their own resurrection.
There have long been talks of reintroducing the franchise into the NRL, the Central Coast originally pinpointed as their new home before talks in 2017 of the Bears buying out the struggling Gold Coast Titans, though nothing made it further than a headline.
However, things could change for the Bears after being promised $15 million in backing by investors provided the club returns to first-grade.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 17: Kyle Turner of the Bears watches on from the bench during the Intrust Super Premiership NSW round two match between the Penrith Panthers and the North Sydney Bears at Penrith Stadium on March 17, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
While they won’t receive a cent of it until the club is announced as the NRL’s 18th side, the promised financial backing is certain to entice the ARL Commission as they look at the Bears as well as locations like Perth, New Zealand and Adelaide as potential landing spots.
Chairman of the Bears, Daniel Dickson, confirmed the club is on track for a strong financial standpoint if they are to be readmitted.
“There is a huge amount of corporate support from a sponsorship level,” Dickson told The Daily Telegraph.
“The money is one very big piece of the pie and that has always been a challenge for us but we know now that won’t now be our Achilles heel.
“It still stays at the forefront of our mind that we want to make sure this bid is not only financially viable but viable for the Bears followers and to have the recipe for what is going to be a successful 18th team.
“That includes the rugby league community, grassroots and development pathways which we feel we will deliver to the game in spades.
“And, most importantly, it’s not just about the money but we have committed individuals with corporate nous who are big fans of the Bears and the club’s history.
“We are preparing everything we need for when the NRL is ready and that we will be a very attractive partner to be a successful 18th team.”
The NRL isn’t expected to act on an 18th side until they have a clear view of how the Dolphins are received into the competition, both from a fan’s and a financial perspective.
The competition’s newest franchise has been tipped to struggle in its maiden season due to some lacklustre recruitment, causing many to point the finger at the NRL for not supporting the franchise enough while they got off the ground.
Source:: ZeroTackle
