Nobody is mentioning the Mirror article about reduced funding. I have been disgusted at the treatment of Toronto regarding funding and even their demand for Catalans to guarantee money to be alowed into the chalenge cup. The SL clubs think of themselves and nothing else. The Mirror story may not be true but if it is then that is not fair.
If the new club is only to get just over half the funding then leave me out. I have become disilusioned with RL after 45 years of loving the Northern and lately the Bulls to the point I have now cancelled Sky sports as it was only taken for RL which a few years ago would never have been considered. I find SL boring and predictable and if we join it with half the income and a still run down delapidated stadium then no thanks - but best of luck.
I think the Bulls will be looked upon favourably by the other 11 clubs due to the cash they will get at the turnstiles but lets not have another season where we are punished financially before the season kicks off.
If Sky are insisting of 12 clubs then all championship clubs must say now that it must be 12 equal payments or go take a hike.

100% the Championship clubs should boycott this arrangement. Presumably the SL clubs will ask for proof of £X million to prevent an administration mid season. That begs the question who is behind Nigel as our squad is 6-8 proven SL players to stand a chance of finishing 11th. The move back to Odsal and entry into SL looks like a minimum £1million pound being produced from somewhere. So er.... Where?

how much was Nigels golden handshake from RFL again



Problem with championship clubs boycotting if they don't give an equal share to 12th club is there are 1 or 2 clubs with cashed up owners who can afford to make up the shortfall so can't see them joining boycott.

Is there actually any guarantee that there's a promotion spot up for grabs at end of 2021 season when sturcture changes?. There was this year but not sure its set in stone next year. Can see a few clubs thinking its better to be in SL as an incumbent when structure changes in case they remove promotion and go back to licensing.

This is a genuine question as a Fax fan that didn't enjoy your demise. I spoke to a ex Bulls chairman a few years back and he was very clear about the fact that Bradford simply could not afford to play out of Odsal due to maintanance costs along with other upkeep costs and said the best thing for them would be to move out of that stadium. Now we have a good idea that not a lot has changed over those years and Odsal is in need of more than a bit of a touch up so I just wonder why Bradford seem to be getting rail roaded in to going back to play in a stadium that they can't afford to play in?

Why indeed. You don't have to be the sort of person to be in to conspiracy theories to think the shenanigans surrounding Odsal have been, and still are very odd. As you say, the hole in the ground needs investment to pass a safety certificate, and then a whole lot more to make it sustainably affordable going forward, and fit for the 21st century. Maybe I'm missing something but people pinning their hope on the return of stock cars and that sort of thing seems far-fetched. That will bring in pennies compared to what the place needs.

That's exactly right Pumpy.
There's no sense in us paying to "do up Odsal" only to be left with an almighty mortgage to pay, plus the ongoing costs, with our reduced income and underprepared team. I don't see the logic in anything coming out of the club with regard to SL at the moment. One of us is on a different planet, whether it's the board or me I really don't know, but it's not me who's had a skinfull I do know that...can't speak for anyone else!

Going back to Odsal in SL would yield the same results as last time...

Even thinking about it is ridiculous. I really don't miss SL. We have some great teams and rivalries in the Champs, aren't killing ourselves financially and each year at least one CH clubs gives an SL club a bloody nose in the Challenge Cup.

Yes, exactly this.
I've been watching this play out on twitter and the forums and the news from the RL and I have a sinking feeling of inevitability. Some deluded people seem to think that just putting the Bulls back in SL will bring back 10,000 home fans (no chance) and an army of away supporters travelling across the league to watch our team lose every week (not gonna happen after series of drubbings). All whilst playing out of a poor ground we (still) cant afford, with half the funding of everyone else. (we have the 1st hand experience of knowing how that ends, from a couple of admins back)
And I feel sometimes like I'm the only one that remembers how this ends. Of all the clubs in RL, we should be the ones who can recognise a poisoned chalice when we see it. Some SL club chairmen might want us in as we'll bring some away fans (assuming thats allowed in 2021) and with half funding we'll almost certainly be relegated so it gives them all another year of safety from the drop. Crazy. Where is the upside for us? How are we even giving this consideration? Have we found a magic money tree but just not told anyone?

Our application should fail, I'd go for Toulouse myself, but the criteria is woolly enough that you can make a case for the old Bulls to be promoted and the panel will just use the criteria to justify who they've already decided upon, and in the meantime its allowed all the old issues and negativity around the club to be re-aired, so we're now distracted from rebuilding, getting back to Bradford and winning promotion on merit for the spurious arguments of fast tracking our return...nuts.

If anyone can sell me on the positives if we win this raffle Id genuinely love to hear them, because I got nothing.

oh, and hello again everyone - hope you're all keeping safe in 2020,I just needed to have a brief return to have a whinge as twitter doesn't allow me enough characters!

Unless a multi multi millionaire comes in to back us we all know what the result of putting us back into SL. If they are interested in expansion then surely Toulouse is the answer. Caralan have proven themselves and even won the Challenge Cup. Continue this expansion with Toulouse so they can then have derbies and we'll see what happens.

Catalans don't have an academy and are a collection of imports. The CC final was half empty. they haven't brought a TV deal or anything to the game in France or the international game and there's no away fans. Other than it looks and sounds good there's absolutely nothing tangible one can say Catalans have brought. For me Toulouse bring less than Fev.

Kear in the T and A is 100% right in saying that whoever goes into SL must have an academy, AND as everyone on here is suggesting a lot of money. Unless Nigel has found another Koukash it has to be London.