Either the Force or the Rebels is set to be axed by the Australian Rugby Union as the Super Rugby competition gets slimed down to 15 teams next year.
The Force is believed to be facing the chopping block but is not going down without a fight and there is talk of millions of dollars being thrown around.
A group of heavyweight rugby identities and millionaire businessmen is plotting to save the Western Force from Super Rugby oblivion, The Daily Telegraph in Sydney said yesterday
The group includes former ARU chief executive Gary Flowers and the Force's inaugural chief, Peter O'Meara.
Alongside them are businessmen Jon Collins, himself a former ARU and Waratahs director, and Sydney businessman Raymond Burke.
The Telegraph said Burke had pledged to pump $A50million (NZ$54million) into the Force over the next 10 years, if he could strike a deal with the West Australian government.
Flowers, O'Meara and Collins have all purchased shares in the ''Own The Force'' campaign, an intiative to get money from fans to keep the side in Perth.
Burke was part of the group which bought the licensing agreement to run the Highlanders in late 2015.
It was led by Dunedin businessman Matthew Davey along with Christchurch marketing manager Warren Goddard and Nelson businessman Shane Drummond.
Burke is the chairman of OAMM, a company specialising in digital advertising and other infrastructure at grounds throughout Australia and New Zealand.
The newspaper said Burke had a proposal to take over the ground signage and ticketing at Force's home ground nib Stadium rejected by the previous Western Australian government, but it has been resubmitted.
''We are not asking for any money from the government. We're just asking for assets that we will turn around and invest into the Western Force,'' Burke said.
''I guarantee that if they give us the support, the Force will win a premiership in five years, like the Highlanders did.''
While that proposal is being reviewed by the government in Perth, the Force still has significant financial support flowing through.
Collins, who sold his Sykes Group business in 2010 for $A55million ($NZ59million), has not ruled out a private ownership bid of the club, depending on the outcome of the legal writ the franchise has taken out against the ARU.
Flowers, who was running Australian rugby when the Force were introduced to Super Rugby in 2005, said it was imperative to see it remain in a rejigged 15-team tournament from next year.
''Rugby can legitimately become the No2 code in Western Australia [behind AFL],'' Flowers said.
''In Melbourne, AFL is clearly No1, then there is massive support for football and then you've got the Storm [rugby league] who are very entrenched in the city.
''It is a tough job that the ARU have. One of the things I'm not sure has been done is an assessment of the impact of cutting a team.
''It's very well to say there's a risk in keeping the same format, but what about the damage of losing a team.''