Marwan Koukash

[Özil]

What is everybody's thought on this guy?

He's a billionaire that owns race horses and Salford Red Devils.

The guy made his money via his corporate training company.

Helped AL Jazeera sport in Europe to buy rights to the English Super League

And he wants to buy an NRL club, most likely the Knights.

His has an ambition is to make Rugby League a much bigger game than Rugby Union.

So besides his cash, I don't think he does anything good for Rugby League and which ever NRL club buys him will suffer.

Discuss...

 

[Papa Emeritus]

I have no issues with this bloke. If I was rich I think owning an NRL club would be pretty awesome.

I especially like how he politely declined to get involved in the Wests Tigers, saying things are "too complicated" there. He made it sound like being involved in a three way marriage hehe.

But WT doesn't fit into what he wants anyway, he wants to be more than a seat on a board. If the Knights don't take up his offer they are dumb imo.

 

[Hacky McAxe]

Couldn't say for sure. He may be good for the game especially if he can sell it to the world, but he may try to screw it up.

 

[Ahecee]

I don't understand the negative position on private ownership of clubs in the NRL, if someone wants to pump money into a club, how can that be a bad thing?

The NRL should be wining and dining the guy, and making that happen (for the right price).

 

[Özil]

I don't understand the negative position on private ownership of clubs in the NRL, if someone wants to pump money into a club, how can that be a bad thing?

The NRL should be wining and dining the guy, and making that happen (for the right price).

On one hand you got a co-ownership of Rusty and Pete Holmes-a-Hyphen who have brought commercial success, not on-field success and made the club financially stable considering that 70% of their fanbase are from the Block in Redfern.

On the other hand, you have a Nathan Tinkler who comes in with promises to the members or stability & success, then things go to shit outside of NRL, owner loses money then suddenly has an impact on the club.

The thing is, a lot of NRL clubs are under valued and there are some NRL clubs who are really aren't worth the investment aka sharks

 

[Pom_81]

Bloody madman. Not saying if he's good or bad for the game, but he's utterly unhinged.

He owns Salford and he tried to get his wife to buy Bradford. That wouldn't have been weird or a conflict of interest...

 

[Natboy]

Nathan Tinkler

 

[Mr Invisible]

There isn't really a bad point in him wanting to get more involved with the game. Murdoch's News Limited have their fingers firmly in the NRL pie already, and if Koukash uses his string of friends and business links, ESL/NRL could be even bigger.

Stinkler was failing before he even bought the Knights. Ran up more debt than they previously had, then bailed on them.

 

[Natboy]

I'm sure he could and probably would do a lot for the game but what if he holds all the powerful and ditches the club without really being accountable. I'd hope the NRL have learnt their lesson and make sure it is all regulated properly

 

[Weak Gutted Dog]

Who are the two clubs he is negotiating with?
Knights and Souths, Dragons or TiTans?

 

[Pom_81]

Who are the two clubs he is negotiating with?
Knights and Souths, Dragons or TiTans?

My guess would be Newcastle and the Titans. Already said not Balmain/Wests.

 

[Fully Sik Drop kick]

Maybe he can resurrect a team like the Bears to come back?

 

[Pom_81]

Maybe he can resurrect a team like the Bears to come back?

The last thing the NRL needs is another Sydney team.

Ideally, someone would purchase the Sharks and negotiate a good stadium deal for them a hell of a long way from Sydney. Perth, maybe?

 

[Natboy]

The last thing the NRL needs is another Sydney team.

Ideally, someone would purchase the Sharks and negotiate a good stadium deal for them a hell of a long way from Sydney. Perth, maybe?

Haha leave my local team alone

 

[DOGSOFWAR2013]

Tinkler...

 

[Ahecee]

But even Tinkler, who wasn't great, the club licence is just held by a business the owner holds right? so, in theory, if they do poorly as an owner wouldn't the licence and brand be taken back off them, and any debt would stay with the company that created it?

So, Newcastle are now being propped up by the NRL, but, without Tinkler that would have been the case anyway, so I don't see they really lose anything.

And, you own a club, not the league, so they can't really do anything to the game itself. If someone wants to put money in, and believes they can make the club profitable, I see no down side.

George Piggins said “If you’ve got an owner, it’s got to come to an end sometime. That’s why I opposed it. If his family don’t want to put the money in one day, what do we do?"

“Owners are hard to find. If you can’t find one, you’re dead.”

Clearly he is wrong, the Knights are still there, and Souths wouldn't be if it wasn't for private ownership. To me it is just a clear goal for the league to do as much as possible really.

 

[c-b-b]

I think the two clubs would have to be Cronulla and Newcastle. I'm sure a Palestinian owning either of those clubs would go down well with the fans.

 

[Natboy]

I think the two clubs would have to be Cronulla and Newcastle. I'm sure a Palestinian owning either of those clubs would go down well with the fans.

As long as their club is well looked after I don't think they would care to be honest

 

[Özil]

I think the two clubs would have to be Cronulla and Newcastle. I'm sure a Palestinian owning either of those clubs would go down well with the fans.

As long as they see an Arab billionaire splashing the cash on their club, they wont care

 

[Pom_81]

How? Making League a world game and making it bigger than Union would be bloody excellent.

Yes it would. But he has more chance of f*cking a unicorn at Elvis's next concert than of making League bigger than Union just because he prefers the game.

Russell Crowe has immeasurably higher profile in the world than Koukash does and (no criticism of Crowe) how much impact has he been able to have outside of Rugby League heartlands? Hell, Koukash hasn't really been able to boost crowds at Salford, let alone in Union heartland.