British billionaire Marwan Koukash will "consider investing" in a relocated Gold Coast National Rugby League team after "aborting plans to buy a stake in the Brisbane Broncos," according to Peter Badel of the Brisbane COURIER-MAIL. Koukash "detailed his investment plan" and urged the NRL to move the Gold Coast Titans "closer to Brisbane." The 56-year-old is "ready to bring his billions to the NRL, having spent the past three months doing due diligence on the Broncos in talks with minority shareholder Phil Murphy." But with News Corp. having "no plans" to sell its 68% stake in Brisbane, Koukash has "gone cold on his Broncos ownership plan." Koukash: "I won't be involved with the Broncos as a minority shareholder, that would not be of interest to me. ... I don't want others making decisions on my behalf." With his Broncos dream "seemingly dashed, Koukash remains determined to be a major player in the NRL." Ideally, he wants to invest in an NRL team "within 12 months and has tabled a radical proposal for a British-based team to play in the Australian premiership." The Titans' financial struggles have been "well documented over the past two years and Koukash's vast wealth would transform an ailing Gold Coast club overnight." The "colorful Salford owner has not been in contact with the Titans, but says he would not rule out any viable NRL investment." Koukash said, "Why doesn't the NRL move the Gold Coast to Brisbane? That would be a fantastic idea to move the Titans north. They are not going to get enough support on the Gold Coast, but having two Brisbane teams, you can be guaranteed that the two fixtures, a derby against the Broncos, will create a massive interest" (COURIER-MAIL, 2/10).
