RFL Buy Odsal

[LeedsViking]

This must be a first... the governing body of a sport buying a stadium off one of its clubs!!!

http://www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/24240/the-rfl-purchases-odsal-stadium

[GSF]

So how will that dump be assessed impartially come the next review of licences?

[JonM]

The RFL bought Hornets 50% share of Spotland at one point; not sure if they still own it.

[Peter]

So how will that dump be assessed impartially come the next review of licences?

It will be ironic if the RFL said that the ground was inadequate.

[LeedsViking]

The RFL bought Hornets 50% share of Spotland at one point; not sure if they still own it.

Apparently so (if not 100% of it)... they also own Cougar Park it seems

I guess my initial thought of 'must be a first' was a little off target

[View from The Bridge]

Apparently so (if not 100% of it)... they also own Cougar Park it seems

I guess my initial thought of 'must be a first' was a little off target

Makes a complete mockery of the licensing process, the Governing Body own a stadium used by a club that will be applying for a license in 3 years time.

No vested interest there then 

[Glynn]

not really, if bradford didnt get a licence they would still have to pay rent and if they decided to go elsewere the rfl could just sell the land to tesco's or for housing and probally make a lot of money.

[vikingsinbradford]

not really, if bradford didnt get a licence they would still have to pay rent and if they decided to go elsewere the rfl could just sell the land to tesco's or for housing and probally make a lot of money.

Not necessarily, it is built on an old tip and the cost of cleaning up the site may well prove prohibitive.
 Bradford Council were responsible for its upkeep at one time and were ploughing money every year into it just to stand still. If I recollect it rightly it was something like £40,000 per year and non rugby watching rate payers were up in arms about it so the council gave the Bulls something like £400,000 to buy themselves out of the deal once and for all. That bankrolled the golden years for the Bulls but is now long spent. One of the Bulls bigwigs was on Radio Leeds tonight making out it was all the RFL's doing and that if it had not come off then things would have just carried on as they were He couldn't answer what was in it for the RFL, he just said "you will have to ask them"!!! I smell a rat and its not Ratboy.

[rayvon]

Not necessarily, it is built on an old tip and the cost of cleaning up the site may well prove prohibitive.
 Bradford Council were responsible for its upkeep at one time and were ploughing money every year into it just to stand still. If I recollect it rightly it was something like £40,000 per year and non rugby watching rate payers were up in arms about it so the council gave the Bulls something like £400,000 to buy themselves out of the deal once and for all. That bankrolled the golden years for the Bulls but is now long spent. One of the Bulls bigwigs was on Radio Leeds tonight making out it was all the RFL's doing and that if it had not come off then things would have just carried on as they were He couldn't answer what was in it for the RFL, he just said "you will have to ask them"!!! I smell a rat and its not Ratboy.

Yet on BBC it says "Chairman Peter Hood confirmed the Bulls made the approach to the RFL, hailing the announcement as "excellent news"."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/16709752.stm

[life is peachy]

bradford were drowning in the brown stuff and out beloved rfl have bailed them out. shocking really.

[Widnesacademy]

This really worries me , I understand the normal comments aimed at the RFL but the bigger picture shows how worried we must be about the current state of the game.

[angie]

Dosn't the Wrexham ground belong to the rfl? Thought they put quite a bit of money into it.

[GSF]

not really, if bradford didnt get a licence they would still have to pay rent and if they decided to go elsewere the rfl could just sell the land to tesco's or for housing and probally make a lot of money.

Perhaps I am missing something obvious but is that site really suitable for housing or retail?

[neilw]

Perhaps I am missing something obvious but is that site really suitable for housing or retail?

IMO only if you filled it in and brought it all up the road level and near to it, could be housing or commercial then. Obviously any previous usage (tip) would have to be cleared with environment officers first but not unachievable. If it make finacial sense or not is a different matter as it would not be cheap to clean if required or to fill in the hole as it is vast.

[Glynn]

the point i was making is the land must be worth something, i dont think the rfl have bought it just to help bradford.