from what I understand the council bought the lease back and was interested in selling the land

So Bradford had a 99 year secure lease from the Council which meant that the Council could do nothing with the Ground. The Council "buy" Bradford out of the lease and Bradford receive a substantial sum but no longer have any security of tenure enabling the Council to do what they wish with the Ground.

Bradford now have become vunerable as the Council can do what they wish with the Ground including selling it on to a Developer which could leave Bradford homeless. Bradford then approach the RFL to buy Odsal from the Council which they do and grant Bradford a long secure lease thus securing their future at Odsal.

Fantastic business from Bradford. Sell the lease back to the Council for a substantial sum which helps with their finances, get the RFL to buy Odsal and get a new secure lease. Their position is unchanged but they have received a substantial sum of money and are now fireproof when franchising comes round again.

If this is how its all happened I congratulate Bradford, brilliant deal - its the mugs at the RFL who have fallen for this and have effectively given Bradford the money they received from the Council because the RFL will have paid the OMV for Odsal without there being a long lease in place.

Why could the RFL not have bought Odsal with the lease in place, it would have cost less but Bradford would not have received any money.

Of course it may not have happened like this at all.

Maybe not but it certainly leaves the RFL in a compromising situation with conflicting interests. That said I can't muster the necessary effort to give a toss really Good luck to Bradford I wouldn't have wanted them to be homeless and nor would I want the RFL's charity for us

Absolutely astounding


Firstly, go back 24 months, Bradford CC ring fenced £6m for redevelopment of odsal with a view to work starting 2012, then due to cuts in budget this money was re-allocated elsewhere, in between that Bradford get awarded a SL license with an instruction to improve facilities at Odsall, then BCC look at selling the ground to a developer but advise tenants (Bulls) that they were looking at selling up as they need money and instruction from Westminster is for LA to sell assets not currently in use by LA to release capital to fill holes in budgets. Then out of nowhere and without warning RFL buy the ground from BCC and off long term lease to Bulls, well it stinks bulls getting preferential treatment for sure, don't give me that they would have no ground as I know for a fact they could quite easily play (and would be welcome additional tenants) at Bradford City ground. This creates a conflict of interest to the RFL, they should go open book to all the chairman of the SL clubs to show exactly what financial dealings have been agreed and what the lease is really costing the Bulls. It's not the bulls fault, I can't hold them to account, if the RFL came along with a silver spoon to our club we would rip their hands off, but unfortunately although being one of the oldest RL clubs with one of the longest histories In RL and a founder member of the Northern Union this accounts for newt, face fitting and marketable asset we are not so no chance, same goes for cas we have both been turned over and the RFL are to blame

I have a good idea why don't the RFL turn Odsal in to a Super Dome.

Talk about chucking good money after bad, first they bail out the Crusaders, now they buy a money pit!

I’ve no idea who’s in charge of the RFL portfolio, but, I’m glad there not giving me financial advice.

TBH I’m not even slightly surprised, the governing body of our game blunder from one fiasco to another. The Wigan salary cap mishandling, Hulls C.C misdemeanour, the Welsh debacle…..

So come March/April and the worst case scenario happens and Newmarket is rejected will the RFL buy Belle Vue from the BOI to secure our future? There is no difference at all in the circumstances from what I can see.

The rfl spending money on another club in a big way like this is really stupid. The revenues come from all clubs so in effect aren't we all paying for this.

The RFL havent bought Odsal, theyve paid the Bulls a million + to purchase the lease, yes thats right, they have given the Bulls a million plus

You couldn't make it up





. Corrupt to the absolute core.

Give over now.

LOL at one or two of the Bradford fans jumping on their high horse about Wakefield after this episode, I don't think hardly anyone has said a bad word about the Bulls, just questioning the RFL's conflict of interests but apparently if you have a opinion about this your a whinger or jealous, you couldn't make it up.

Two points:

1 - It becomes increasingly clear that this transaction is a thinly-disguised loan to the Bulls. Bulls get lump sum now; Bulls repay through rent over next very few years. Dress it up how you want, that is how it looks to me. A loan. Simple as.

2 - Then we ask why the club suddenly needs £1m plus NOW anyway? My guess is to settle the image rights etc liability assessed by HMRC. The alternative would be to do as you did, and go bust and a phoenix company rises - free of liabilities for the past. Since, like you, without a sugar daddy or corporate owner we could not hope to meet such liabilities.

Now, looked at in that light, would you rather that the RFL had loaned YOU a substantial sum? That you had to repay out of future income somehow? Or would you rather be as you are: a new entity, free from historic liabilities (except through choice)?

You escaped all past liabilities for tax on image rights and the like. If I am right, we will not.

Does this scenario make some people a little less apoplectic?

You and your club have the sympathy of loads fans around the game and we understand the frustration you must be experiencing, but comments like the ones above do you no favours. I have asked for proof of the assistance received by the London team 10 years......I have yet to receive any. Crusaders were lent money, Catalans were given 3 years free from relegation, we had no special treatment and no financial assistance in any shape or form......so please, stop making yourself look bitter and twisted, as well as stupid.
Again...I fully understand the frustration, it does smack of double standards.

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I'm amazed that so many people are shocked by this 'deal'. The RFL make the FA look like a bastion of competency and integrity.

What is staggering here is the RFL's desperation to "save one of the games most iconic stadia".
Central Park gone, The Boulevard gone, Wilderspool gone, Belle Vue and Wheldon Road going.
Now, Idont mind a bit of History, without history there is no future, but why Odsal ?
If Bradford had a good option to move to Valley Parade, which is certainly a more up to date stadium,
why does Odsal need some kind of "preservation order" ?

Well this whole affair appears nothing more than a loan of £1M plus from the RFL to the Bulls. The RFL have taken the lease of the ground over as security, end of.

The interesting bit is that Steve Parkin has obviously been in the background regarding the Bulls. Whatever his true intentions were for the Bulls, Odsal etc we may never know. However should we get the green light in the next couple of months I wonder if he is looking at us again ?

Read adeybulls post , this is nothing to do with Odsal , that was just the usual RFL spin ,this is a loan to the Bulls to keep them in business, plain and simple

Not really no.
You would have paid rent to Bradford Council anyway, now you will pay rent to the RFL. However the RFL have given you money in the meantime.
So in my eyes you've been given a bail out and will now continue to pay rent, all be it to a different party.

As others have said I have no issue with Bradford over this as you look to have done what is necessary to secure your future, the same as we would all wish our own clubs to do.
The problem lies with the RFL executing their own unique style of double standards again, whereby they are willing to bend over backwards to help certain clubs and couldn't give a toss about others.

As for point 2 of your argument, you are right, the admiistration was the best thing that could have happened to us (although obviously not for the creditors of the old club, or the shareholders).

Quite frankly no it doesn't. No matter how you care to dress it up, the fact that the RL got involved in any way finacially, when they have refused help to other clubs smacks of favouritism of the highest order.

It is, of course, excellent business by the Bulls who are to be congratulated in seemingly securing an unlimited SL franchise.

The RL view that they are saving one of our most famous grounds is rubbish. Odsal is famous for one reason-the record crowd for the cup final back in the 50's. Other then that it a shambles and barely better than Belle Vue. In fact I'd rather go to BV any day.

Quote ="gutterfax"You and your club have the sympathy of loads fans around the game and we understand the frustration you must be experiencing, but comments like the ones above do you no favours. I have asked for proof of the assistance received by the London team 10 years......I have yet to receive any. Crusaders were lent money, Catalans were given 3 years free from relegation, we had no special treatment and no financial assistance in any shape or form......so please, stop making yourself look bitter and twisted, as well as stupid. Again...I fully understand the frustration, it does smack of double standards.'" news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 973976.stm I particularly like this bit: "The RFL will help in the office, help in technical support and some financial support too, but that's in the long term, not a big cash pay-out now," explained Hughes.

Quote ="gutterfax"You and your club have the sympathy of loads fans around the game and we understand the frustration you must be experiencing, but comments like the ones above do you no favours. I have asked for proof of the assistance received by the London team 10 years......I have yet to receive any. Crusaders were lent money, Catalans were given 3 years free from relegation, we had no special treatment and no financial assistance in any shape or form......so please, stop making yourself look bitter and twisted, as well as stupid. Again...I fully understand the frustration, it does smack of double standards.'" news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 973976.stm I particularly like this bit: "The RFL will help in the office, help in technical support and some financial support too, but that's in the long term, not a big cash pay-out now," explained Hughes.

I understand why you would ask question number 1. I realise the relevance in terms of Super League, but if the RFL do in fact adopt that stance why is it they felt fit to purchase Cougar Park and Spotland? They're hardly super league standard facilities

The RFL HAVE helped other clubs. Regularly. Including your own, with loans in the past, and recently by allowing a completely new entity to retain and continue with the franchise despite a substantial loss to the taxpayer and others and despite a previous insolvency. They could easily have insisted the new entity starts again at the bottom, and promoted (say) Fax into SL instead. Indeed, the Fax fans were generally seething that the RFL did NOT do this.



How so?

A successful franchise bid consists of a number of elements, of which the stadium is but part. The RFL could quite easily award a franchise to play at Odsal to another team or entity - even you lot. They would still collect the rent as return on their original investment.

Wrong.

We paid a peppercorn to the council.

We will pay a commercial rent to the RFL.

In exchange for that additional annual cost, we get a sum up front. Bit like equity release on your house.

Where is the subsidy in that? (clue: nowhere).