I've said things like that myself, so I know where you're coming from.

However. The problem for such as Mick, and of course Ross on the T&A, is that a sort of symbiotic relationship exists between them and the club ie, they both need each other and both would be damaged if the other were to disappear. The club needs people to take an interest in the happenings at Odsal and to spread the news, so the need to keep the journos sweet is important. By the same token the journos need the club. If the club goes, or interest in what's going on around it dies, then their job goes with it.

Of course they get to know snippets that the club doesn't want to get out but the relationship between club and journo wold be damaged irreparably if they put in their bulletins, especially when specifically asked not to. That would not do anybody any good; not fans, not club, and not journalists.

I'm not entirely sure the club would be damaged if BCB fell off the air as useful as the commentary service might be to fans.

Slightly O/T but relevant to a debate about truth and honesty, I gave Mick the opportunity to be a little more transparent with his claims about listener numbers on another thread and he failed the test, claiming that the station receives a figure for the number of people listening to each commentary on FM. The only reliable measure - which takes a long term average - is Rajar which BCB don't participate in.

It's very easy to over-egg the pudding.

As the saying goes, all publicity is good publicity. Similarly if you crave attention, all attention is good attention. Even when it's because you're saying something silly.

Not hard for yous to keep financially stable, especially making the football club stump up all the rent for the ground

Well obviously to some extent it would, because then those who can't attend games couldn't listen either, and its easy to get out of the habit of going, /watching / listening - hard to get people back into the habit.



Come again? Tests? You set tests? Failed? Wow, bet he won't sleep now! Surely only existing Bulls fans - or I expect a handful of opposition fans, or bored general sports fans - who can't go, are ever going to constitute the audience? That much seems clear, and if he was the best broadcaster since John Arlott, the number wouldn't materially change, so I'm struggling to understand the point, or more to the point, whether there actually is a point.

There IS a different point though, and that is, it's a decent commentary, it's reliable and it's free. If I didn't go, I'd choose to listen to that. What else is so important to you?

The point was about hyping things up. For listening figures see cryptic tweets or vice versa. The "test" was whether he'd choose to back up his claims as the FM figures were clearly bunkum (and for what it's worth 4,000 streaming listeners seems very optimistic). Therefore, you take things with a pinch of salt.

I like the commentaries, they would be missed but certainly not by 10,000 people.

Ignore "Bulls On Fire" he's another one of the anti Mick/Ross brigade.

As I posted in the BCB thread a couple of weeks ago, the listening figures for the broadcasts fluctuate massively - is the game at home, away in West Yorkshire, away in Cumbria, on Sky Sports etc...

But I can comfortably say that the average per game this year is around the 7,500 mark - that's including both online and FM.

We get regular listeners from America, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Italy, Colombia, Russia and Ireland.

The Bradford Bulls brand is very much still alive and kicking.

On a match day the listener interaction from the supporters is so great that we're now looking for a third member to join me and Hobbo, just to specifically monitor all the communication we get snowed under with on a match day.

Tweet from Marwan Koukash - Seems to pour water on the Bulls rumours -(@drmar) I have no interest in owning another RL club . The sole focus of everyone in the club is to secure our SL status for next year.

Mick, I am not a member of any such brigade, you are a good commentator and I have enjoyed listening from time to time. However, this thread has called into question the way you present things on social media etc and as such I have cited an example where you have made claims that are not backed up by credible evidence. So, it's a question of judgement and believability.

He can easily buy us via his wife as was the plan originally. That would enable him to perfectly legitimately say that HE has no interest.

I saw the tweets that Mike came out after the loss to Fev that some are referring to, whether he should have posted them is open to debate, but with recent financial difficulties I know I pretty much thought the same as what he posted following that defeat. Since then a winding up order has come to light which made everyone dig into various websites to find out other financial difficulties Mr Green is suffering and then the players were paid late. To be honest this hasn't really gone away as payday is a week away, followed by the winding up hearing a week later. Meanwhile the walk up gate receipts are pretty much zero and like others have mentioned the off field management at the club is down to the bare bones following recent departures.

With the news about York, and talk of Sheffield potentially going out of business it's bonkers that Toulouse and Toronto are being pushed up the league ladder. I wonder how many Keighley fans will be heading over for that one next season.

Oh for the days of just worrying about the score and not the financial position of a club. At least we are winning games, not that it really matters but you have to grab the positives where you can these days.

Re the Doc, I wouldn't expect any news about any rumour regarding that whilst Salford are in the middle of a fight for their SL survival.

I'm your man.

Who's got the most experience of radio show/listener interaction? Me - fact

Who successfully predicted the next England head coach would be Steve Mc before he was appointed? Me - fact

Who successfully predicted Lee St Hillaire would be Bradford head coach before he was appointed? Me - fact

If it's flagging a bit who better to make up interesting texts to get it going? Me

Are travel expenses paid Mick?

The day I found BCB existed was like a huge burden being lifted off my back.
Because if I cant get to a game I used to have to listen to radio Leeds and any radio station that has got the word "scum" in its title isn't worth listening to.
And they ironically refer to them selves as west yorkshire sport - when they dont even commentate on the majority of clubs outside the suburb of headingly.

BCB commentary is a good laugh.
Hobbo has a typical Yorkshireman attitude - he calls it like he sees it.
Mick gives a good balance.

I dont follow twitter cos I've got a life. If you believe everything written or said in the media you obviously dont understand what the media is for. Call it propoganda or call it the rumour mill - its purpose is to stir up debate, so its clearly working.

Talking about the announcement I heard we are signing a world class player who will deliver first class performance ..........................no wait a minute.........sorry, must have misheard......we are actually signing a world class darts player who delivers first class proformas

The thing that is making me chuckle is Mick accusing people of being anti Ross/Mick - as if the two are indistinguishable.

One is a professional journalist and reports stories. The other has been banned from TRL twice because he couldn't stop accusing referees of being cheats and spreads rumours when he hears half a story.

They are not the same things at all.