Maitland mayor Peter Blackmore has backed the Our Knights, One Chance model of community ownership for the embattled NRL franchise.
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“The Hunter Region is proud of its sporting teams,” Cr Blackmore said.
The group of Novocastrians who formulated the ownership model have NRL and business experience, but also understand the power of this community. The model would place the Knights financially into the top six NRL Clubs.
Cr Blackmore believes a functioning Knights franchise, particularly when strong, is important to the region on a number levels.
“They are ‘our Knights’ and they represent all of the Hunter Valley,” cr Blackmore said.
The community ownership was launched on December 9, last year with a focus on taking responsibility for the Knights and providing a stable, long-term future.
“We now have this opportunity and we should be united,” Cr Blackmore said.
The NRL needs to know the model is sustainable and for the initiative to move to the next step, supporters must demonstrate their backing by registering at the Our Knights website.
The registration target is 20,000 individuals and businesses that hopefully convinces the NRL of the resolve of supporters.
Other regional mayors have also come out in support of the Knights community ownership model including those from Tamworth, Gunnedah, Upper Hunter, Dungog, Port Stephens and Lake Macquarie.
