I seem to remember IMG's original proposals were a 14-team Super League but this voted down by the same group who want to protect their small slice of the pie.

At the time I thought IMG might have threatened to walk away from the deal as it was clear that the clubs only intention was to agree to proposals that maintained the status quo and dismiss anything that risked their own agenda. IMG failed to do so and in turn gave any power they might have had away.

Anyone can see a 14-team competition with 26 rounds (home & away) to be followed by playoffs makes the most sense from both a spectator and competition integrity perspective.

Somehow, I think the 12 will pull up the drawbridge and start looking at ways to protect themselves again.

Apparently some Fev & Fax fans have been able to count each individual fan at multiple games this year! Some meltdown.

But that’s how IMG get paid, isn’t it? They get 30% of all the new/increased/additional cash flow from upgraded broadcast rights and sponsorship etc.

If they can show increased corporate and broadcast income from 14 teams then that’s what they’ll push for

Apparently there was a line on the spreadsheet in white font with a minus 5 point tariff for "Repeated crowd disturbances, racist chanting and hammer wielding". Hopefully no one got tripped up by that.

Although IMG were only looking at finances for the last 3 years it’s blatant corruption they haven’t gone back 7 years for Bradford and Bradford alone

It's been pointed out on Twitter and elsewhere that Newcastle (just dropped out of League 1 for 2024) are placed significantly higher in position 18 than London Broncos (just been promoted to Super League) in position 24.

Bradford's breakdown is out:



Performance 2.17/5

Fandom 3.95/5

Finances 2.75/4.5

Stadium 0.89/3

Community 2.25/2.5

The full statement is worth a read. Very well written imo and makes the very valid (but often overlooked) point that all of the other RL stadiums around the country have needed help from local councils before they could happen. Bulls quite clearly calling out Bradford council to actually do something about the current state of Odsal and using these gradings as a clear demonstration of how the stadium is holding us back.

Is there a link to the full statement anywhere?

Here matehttps://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/article/2213/club-statement-on-img-indicative-gradingrl

So the frothing at the mouth thick as **** lot spouting "how have the Bulls scored so highly when Odsals a dump", "it's a conspiracy" have been shown evidence that Odsal is literally the very thing stopping us getting into SL, yet they're continuing to peddle out its a conspiracy.

Strong statement. Only 0.25 more to be gained in community- so well done to the Foundation, our volunteers and the club for that.
The rest of it is tricky. I don’t think there’s a lot more points to gain in performance, without being in SL.
Finance is steady.
Fandom is difficult as it depends in part on being in SL, also having a modern stadium. Possibly not many more points to pick up in the Championship

So, off to Valley Parade then?

I think now is certainly the time to have that conversation.

It looks from the figures and the statement released that the ground is the problem - which is hardly "new" news...

There is no way in hell the Council will pay for an Odsal upgrade.

So we either stay put in a crumbling - but oh so iconic - Odsal and slide down the rankings with zero potential to be in Supper League ever again, or we bite the bullet now and get on the phone to Valley Parade.

No pitch is too small lol.