Perth Bears set to snatch Brisbane side after landmark sponsorship deal
The Perth Bears have made a ton of noise since the announcement that they will contest the 2027 season as the NRL’s 18th team.
From potential player poachings to alleged cheating scandals, the Bears are turning over every stone they can ahead of their first match.
With news that the expansion club could strike an alliance with the Brisbane Tigers, making the Queensland-based side their feeder team, they are making their presence felt once more.
According to The Courier-Mail, the Bears are in talks with the Tigers in a bid to spread their brand into Queensland.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – OCTOBER 20: Head Coach Mal Meninga of Australia looks on after the International Test match between Tonga and Australia at Mount Smart Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
The strategic move follows the Bears securing a record deal with Budget Direct on Wednesday, agreeing to a sleeve sponsorship worth over $1 million annually.
The deal is worth almost double the NRL average of $600,000 for sleeve sponsors.
Both parties are reportedly in the advanced stages of negotiations, with Bears officials expected to announce the affiliation next week.
While Bears CEO Anthony De Ceglie declined to comment on the Tigers partnership, he was very vocal on the landmark new sponsor deal with Budget Direct.
“We could be commercially the most successful NRL club before we even step on the field,” De Ceglie told The Courier-Mail.
“We have built a great front office, and with this commercial deal and the work we are already doing, we are ready to pounce.”
He was not short on confidence as he flexed the Bears’ muscles, highlighting the record-breaking moves made by the club 18 months before their first NRL game.
“When you look at the new benchmark that we are setting for the NRL with this announcement, we are setting records before we even play our first game.
“Our aim is to be a commercial powerhouse of the NRL and to win off the field as much as we do on the field.”
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 23: A general view as the Australian national anthem is played during game two of the 2019 State of Origin series between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons at Optus Stadium on June 23, 2019 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Will Russell/Getty Images)
The move with the Tigers will further boost the Bears’ financial prospects, with their potential new feeder club being one of the richest football operations in Australian sport.
The Tigers boast a portfolio base of $135 million and cash reserves exceeding $25 million.
They are expected to be among several clubs hoping to be the NRL’s 20th team if the ARL Commission decides on fresh expansion for 2030 and beyond.