https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/23859958.know-lease-odsal-stadium-goes-sale/

It probably shows how much I’ve thought of the bulls over the last few years that I’d forgotten they were paying nearly nothing to play at odsal. How bent is this sport that the governing body buys a clubs ground and leases it back for chicken feed to help them out. I’d forgotten that it was brokered by a bulls fan and rfl director. Why wasn’t this investigated?

Anyway the story reads that the rfl are selling. I wonder where the money will go?

  • Jul 06 2022
  • 18
  • 540
  • 54

Still find it crazy how far Bradford fell. From SL champions and one of the biggest names in the sport to absolutely nothing.

Didn’t they move out of Odsal for a while - sure it was while the RFL owned the stadium too? Why is Odsal so important when the RFL don’t care about any others? If it was a world class venue that was important to the game and held high profile matches I could kind of see their point. It’s nothing but a windy bowl though.

  • May 29 2022
  • 162
  • 719
  • 97

    Matt it’s hands down the worst ground in the leagues. If the council don’t see it’s importance then why should our game show such bias. They didn’t help Oldham, Bramley and a lot of others.

    It was and still is one of the greatest cons. Personally I’d love the rfl to buy our ground, update it and then we pay a couple of grand a week for us to use and no other bills. And then we’ll buy it back for the reported cost of £750k.

    • Jul 06 2022
    • 18
    • 540
    • 54

      RaoulDuke
      Thats nearly as good as the deals Wakefield have had in the past with our council tax, Whats the betting that their latest 3 million loan will be written off as well (thats the one they start full repayments this autumn and was for buying Belle Vue back again)

      • May 30 2022
      • 78
      • 471
      • 133

      they have been pouring good money after bad, it should be turned into a council tip!

      • May 29 2022
      • 1
      • 208
      • 29

      I don’t understand why there wasn’t any noises made by the other teams not getting the same type of deal. Nigel wood signed off on the deal, then left the rfl and became a director at odsal. You couldn’t make it up.

      It seems that wakey now have an owner to pay back their loan and I wouldn’t expect them to default. It’s still a great deal that kept them alive and allowed them to get ahead of us in the stadium wars.

      Each council barring a couple are talking of bankruptcy, they can’t afford to write off £3m debt and then close swimming pools, council offices and sports centres. If a swimming pool has the same number of users over the year, the question would be what hurts then financially less. So, at worst they could restructure the debt.

      • Jul 06 2022
      • 18
      • 540
      • 54

      I’m sure there are some that still believe Odsal has a relevant importance to the history of RL. For many years (and may still do) it held the record for the largest attendance at a RL game, a cup final reply I believe.

      Anyway, having been twice in my life, I have no desire to go again

      • Jun 27 2022
      • 14
      • 320
      • 57

        ye i went a couple of times many years ago, what a horrible place

        • May 29 2022
        • 1
        • 208
        • 29

        FlatCapper It does have a relevant place in history for the exact reason you mention. But that didn’t mean that it should have been given preferential treatment by the RFL like it was. And neither should it be preserved just for that reason as now it is just a mess. It needs either a full rebuild or flattening and filling in.

        • Jun 21 2022
        • 3
        • 148
        • 25

          Rickets has a recognised place in history, but no reason to spend millions keeping that in play.

          I think the decisions around Odsal stink, I am surprised more wasn’t made of it at the time but lets not throw good money after a lot of bad.

          • May 30 2022
          • 9
          • 237
          • 47
          5 days later

          [unknown] I don’t disagree but I’m quietly confident in believing Odsal is adequate for one thing, a hole to bury Mark Grattan in!

          • Jun 27 2022
          • 14
          • 320
          • 57

          TheFirm I don’t disagree but I’m quietly confident in believing Odsal is adequate for one thing, a hole to bury Mark Grattan in!

          • Jun 27 2022
          • 14
          • 320
          • 57