The decision to buy the lease at Odsal to keep Bradford afloat all those years ago, just looks worse and worse.
At the time it meant Braford going from paying a "peppercorn" rent, to, in theory at least, paying a "commercial" rent, which always seemed like a retrograde step and now, after further incarnations have failed, the liability for the shocking decision (to take over the lease) seems set to fall on the other SL clubs.
Although being publicised as a one year arrangement, is there ANYONE who actually believes that The Bulls" will be playing in Bradford anytime soon ?
Also, was Nigel Wood involved in the original call and is the same Nigel Wood involved in the new Bradford set up and would this be a conflict of interest ?

But that figure goes some way to explaining why the Bulls are repeatedly in financial difficulty. Having to pay out that level of maintenance plus rent and rates on top, then trying to put together a competitive team without a rich backer is always going to go the same way

I'd have to question that figure is it annually?

there is no way on this earth is that a true figure, someone has plucked it from fresh air

Which also goes to show what a short sighted thing it is to do to not own your own stadium and keep up to it.

WHo owns Headingley, not being argumentative but I thought it was Caddick not the Rhinos but I’m happy to be corrected.

Even if it is the RL club directly I would imagine that the banks own a large percentage and will do for quite some time, but as you say so long as they manage it.

No, it's the RFL who have this obligation, not SL.

Wakefield have had this facilities model for years...or they did until the recent repurchase.

Now you perhaps understand why it was always against the odds for Wakefield to compete?

And also why so many Wakey fans told you that you needed to cut your cloth accordingly? If only, eh?

No it’s Leeds CF&AC who own Headingley. As I understand it The Emerald Group currently technically own the North Stand as an accounting exercise however that will revert to Leeds CF&AC once the money has been paid back which is well within the Rhinos financial ability.

The point is that selling your ground might help you through a tough patch, but it essentially sells off your future and just puts further tough patches down the road. As Wakey are now trying to rectify and Wigan are currently finding out.

Yep. Unfortunately Bradford didn’t spend enough money on it in the good times.

If the R.F.L. are stuck with the crumbling edifice that is Odsal, then it serves 'em right for their duplicitous actions in this appearingly never ending saga - jeez, we thought Brexit was bad!

I've not being following the latest shenanigans, but is there any truth in the rumour of Nigel Wood's involvement? The bloke who's mitts were all over the original cock-up, & who walked away with a £300K severance package to boot! Maybe he's finally got a conscience over his original involvement, or maybe he's got another cunning plan?

because they didn't have to. Odsal was a council owned and run ground. Prior to the club leaving Odsal for the 2001 & 2002 seasons, an agreement was reached with the then board headed by Chris Caisley, that for a nice big lump sum payment from Bradford Council to the Bulls and the Bulls agreeing to take over the running costs of the stadium.

Caisley then spent the money on having the Coral Corporate stand built and wasted the rest in a p!$$ing contest with Leeds over Iestyn Harris.

I understand that it was the RFL's deal and as such, they are left "holding the baby" but, are they not trying to cover the annual cost by withholding part of the Sky monies that would usually be distributed to the SL clubs ?

Yeah. So didn’t spend enough on their ground. They were spending it on players instead. They bought success with money that should have been spent on their facilities and infrastructure.

And have continued to use that mode of operation up until now....