Perth Bears Confirmed As NRL's 18th Team In $65 Million Deal

The Perth Bears are scheduled to enter the NRL competition in 2027, when league action returns to Western Australia after a two-decade hiatus.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan confirmed the Deal on Wednesday, revealing a $65.6 million funding package to support the new club. As Cook stated in a press statement, "We've secured a new WA NRL club for Western Australia! This is a great day for sports fans and a great day for the WA economy."

The agreement includes $60 million in direct financial support over seven years and an additional $5.6 million for match-day and marketing expenses. According to Cook, the club won't face any licensing fees, so government funds will stay in the state.

"The ARLC has accepted our position that the club should not be charged a license fee and that every dollar in direct financial assistance provided by the WA Government is spent in WA," he said.

The Bears will stage their future home matches at HBF Park while the stadium undergoes a $200 million modernization project. The government funding will support the construction of a $20 million Perth-based Center of Excellence alongside the $200 million HBF Park redevelopment.

Peter V’landys demonstrated through his position as ARL Commission Chairman that the Perth Bears would prove successful. The Bears' comeback is being supported because supporters showed extraordinary enthusiasm. He identified the existing fan system and junior academy programs as major deciding factors for the team's revival.

The Perth-based organization will have its first public launch on Thursday in Western Australia. This expansion marks a significant national development in NRL's growth strategy since the Western Reds dissolved in the late 1990s.