Freshly appointed Perth Bears chief executive Tony Rea is bringing the publicity flair of his London Broncos days under Richard Branson to the NRL's newest club, which became an official NRL entity on November 1. In his first interview since succeeding Anthony De Ceglie, the 60-year-old said the club was entering its "building" phase with player arrivals for pre-season training imminent.
The approach has its roots in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when Rea ran the London Broncos under Branson's majority ownership. The record of that era is a catalogue of publicity stunts: the Broncos were the only sporting team in the United Kingdom to play on the day of Princess Diana's death, players posed nude in glossy magazines, and several players, including young forward Anthony Seibold, drummed for the opening act of the 2000 Brit Awards, sharing the stage with Robbie Williams, the Spice Girls and Tom Jones.
"Every day was like that. From my point of view, it created a great feel and great vibe," Rea said. "The Branson stuff was great, very different, which was great moulding for me."
He recalled the marketing team's resistance to the Brit Awards stunt: "We asked the players to do that, and they were so excited to go to the Brit Awards. I remember the marketing team saying, 'We can't ask a team to do that'. But we thought, 'Of course, why wouldn't you want to do something different as a player?' They're still talking about it until this day."
Rea is tasked with ensuring the Bears find a foothold in AFL-obsessed Western Australia. “You've got to be relevant to the people to attract them,” he said. “The players enjoy doing those things, going to different events.”
The club's path to the NRL has not been smooth: Anthony De Ceglie and football general manager David Sharpe did not last until the first kick-off, and former Titans recruiting target Ezra Howe did not make it to Perth. Rea, who landed just before the first player arrivals for pre-season training, played 120 first-grade games for the North Sydney iteration of the Bears and captained the club.
“It's been a long time for that badge to be out of the comp, so it's great for all the people who have been so supportive,” he said. “I also get the great sense that the Bear print is in WA, that it's there long term.”
The former Brumbies coach, whose career has spanned playing, captaining and coaching at the top level, said he had already lived through what the Bears are trying to build. "In all my roles I see myself as a builder and I feel this organisation is primed and ready for the build bit. We've done all the explorations and the politics, we've done all of that. Now it's time to get going, it's ready."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The Bears became an official NRL entity on November 1 and player arrivals for pre-season training are imminent, making Rea's appointment central to how the club launches.
- Rea's task is to establish rugby league in AFL-dominated Western Australia, and his London Broncos record is founded on using publicity to reach new audiences.
- The club has already lost a chief executive and a football general manager before its first kick-off, so the new CEO also carries the burden of stabilising the off-field operation.
Background
The Perth Bears are the NRL's expansion club in Western Australia, reviving the North Sydney Bears identity in a new market. Rea played 120 first-grade games for the North Sydney iteration of the Bears and captained the club before a career spanning top-level playing, coaching and administration across rugby league and rugby union, including coaching the Brumbies and running the London Broncos under Richard Branson. The club became an official NRL entity on November 1 as it prepares for its first season.
What to Watch
- The first player arrivals for pre-season training, the next milestone in the club's build under its new CEO.
- Whether the Branson-era formula of stunts and profile-building translates to a Perth market dominated by AFL.
- Whether the off-field operation holds steady after the early departures of De Ceglie, Sharpe and Howe.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedRea is bringing Branson’s publicity blueprint to the Bears.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “He got his players to pose nude. Now Tony Rea is bringing Branson’s blueprint to Bears.”
- SupportedThe Bears became an official NRL entity on November 1.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “the Bears are now an official NRL entity as of November 1.”
- SupportedRea called the organisation “primed and ready” for the build.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “I feel this organisation is primed and ready for the build bit.”
- SupportedRea said, “Every day was like that. From my point of view, it created a great feel and great vibe.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““Every day was like that. From my point of view, it created a great feel and great vibe,” Rea said”
- SupportedRea said, “The Branson stuff was great, very different, which was great moulding for me.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““The Branson stuff was great, very different, which was great moulding for me.”
- SupportedRea recalled saying the players were excited to go to the Brit Awards and that the marketing team objected to asking them to perform.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “We asked the players to do that, and they were so excited to go to the Brit Awards. I remember the marketing team saying, ‘We can’t ask a team to do that’.”
- SupportedRea said, “You’ve got to be relevant to the people to attract them.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““You’ve got to be relevant to the people to attract them,” Rea said.”
- SupportedRea said, “The players enjoy doing those things, going to different events.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““The players enjoy doing those things, going to different events.””
- SupportedRea said the Bears’ badge had been out of the competition for a long time.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““It’s been a long time for that badge to be out of the comp, so it’s great for all the people who have been so supportive,” Rea said”
- SupportedRea said, “I also get the great sense that the Bear print is in WA, that it’s there long term.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““I also get the great sense that the Bear print is in WA, that it’s there long term.”
- SupportedRea said De Ceglie and football general manager David Sharpe did not last until the first kick-off.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “De Ceglie and football general manager David Sharpe didn’t last until their first kick-off”
- SupportedRea made 120 first-grade appearances for North Sydney.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The former hooker made 120 first-grade appearances for the North Sydney iteration of the Bears”