Darren Lockyer has confirmed he and business partner Grant Wechsel have agreed to buy a 90 per cent stake in London Broncos, describing the city itself as the key reason behind the move.
Speaking to Love Rugby League before returning to Australia, the former Brisbane Broncos captain said the deal is now locked in, regardless of which division the club competes in next season.
The remaining share will be taken by Gary Hetherington, who is set to oversee day-to-day operations. Lockyer admitted the takeover talks accelerated in recent days, with weeks’ worth of negotiations condensed into a handful of days.
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‘The biggest draw card is London’
Lockyer explained his motivation for entering club ownership, stressing it had little to do with the shared ‘Broncos’ name. “It wasn’t an aspiration to own a sporting franchise, but this opportunity came across our desk from a consultant we use,” he said. “People ask me why, is it because it’s got the Broncos name in it?
“But the biggest draw card in it is that it’s London. It’s important to be clear that our intention is to come in and do good things here.”
The former Queensland and Kangaroos star added that he had been convinced during his week in England that the deal was the right one, not just for him and Wechsel, but for the Broncos and the wider game.