I have this nagging feeling that you may have missed my point.

And the difference therefore is . . . ?

I see Roger has pulled in a great 7 page haul over on the Castleford forum.

It's always been manageable just very expensive to run. We may be in a situation where it's preferable to pay the maintenance plus an increased rent over a long period and have a lump sum available as opposed to having to find the lump sum from other sources. Bear in mind this is first year where we aren't making a significant payment to Leeds over Harris affair so that money is potentially available now for rent. Also we could be forfeiting a portion of bar/concession income to offset the rent. Until we hear more details at next weeks forum this is all guesswork anyway.

Same club , many incarnations , yes I missed it

Yup, too many questions still to answer to be sure it’s a good deal for us in the long term and also for people to be getting upset about. There are a number of ways the RFL could be quids in on this deal, admittedly more in the medium to long term but still we need some answers.

From the T&A, hopefully to completely nail the speculation whether the RFL now own the ground, or whether they just took over our lease with the CouncilWe have sold them our lease for a capital sum and then we have entered into a new agreement to rent the ground back from them"

"Bradford Council leader Ian Greenwood told the Telegraph & Argus that the authority had not benefited financially from the deal and that it was simply a matter of their permission being sought for the handover due to them being the freeholder."

So, the RFL do NOT own the freehold. Bradford Council does. The RFL have bought our lease. So, informally, the RFL "own" the ground only till the lease runs out.

Which unless I misunderstand things is exactly the same arrangement as at keighley. Only difference is coop own cougar park, council own odsal.

its the whining down the road if the Potter rebuilding of two seasons leads to success, all of a sudden it won't be due to the academy players we have developed through like Koppy Whitehead Donaldson etc, the young talented players we have signed like Kear Ainscough Gale, it will be due to the RFL. perhaps they should sell ear plugs in the bulls shop as i suspect they will make good money on them.

It isn't EXACTLY the same as Keighley.

The RFL, Keighley and the land owner negotiated a new lease at the expiry of the old one.

Keighley did not sell their lease for a seven figure sum

I heard they did

Peanuts , wasn't it ?

Super news. And it is really ing off everyone else too. Which is a major bonus.

Seems to me there is plenty of precedent for the RFLs actions, the Keighly scenario is pretty similar and there are parallels with Crusaders in so far as there was security for the RFL investment (A charge on Crusaders ground and in this case the Long Lease). The RFL's money is pretty safe in doing this.

The same could not happen for Wakefield as they didn't own the ground and although they had a covenant guaranteeing they could play at Belle Vue until an alternative is available, that is worthless as security for funding, so fury at differnt treatment is wrong. Bradford/Keighly/Crusaders had assets, Wakefield didn't.

The RFL have a longer history of helping clubs, controversial as it may be, Giants and Hull have benefitted from this though Sheffield & Gateshead did not, at least in the short term.

Plenty of precedent there.

As for the comments about Odsal itself, yes it is a bit of a ****hole, but its a better class of ****hole, one that meets basic superleague criteria with a large covered stand (5-6000 seats?) and a purpose built modern hospitality stand at one end. Yes the open terraces are grim if the weather is poor, but as a whole it has far more going for it than Belle Vue or the Jungle, which is why it was judged Super League compliant.

It will be interesting to see medium term plans for redevelopment - a basic tart up of a new roof and perhaps some more seating should not be expensive in Construction terms (look what Wakefield have planned for Belle View as an interim measure only), its just that would not generate additional revenue.

Would a fancier upgrade generate more revenue? That is one for the business planners and financiers, I suspect location may be wrong but I am no expert there.

The good news is Bradford as a club are now stable and can move forward. The whole point of franchising is stability and sustainable growth for all SL clubs. The RFLs actions here are helping that, well done to them that is good for the entire professional game long term.

Its ' super news ' that you are so financially f**ked that you have to go to the sports governing body and beg to be bailed out , or you might cease to exist ?

There are some clever uns on here aren't there , unfortunatley you aren't one of them