Any new investment is good in my book. I just hope, if he’s successful with the bid, he’s got deep pockets, or he’ll be chucking himself in that river in no time.

28 day licence sounds more like a trial of some sort, rather than something set up to allow new people to come in.
If not just allow a "normal" SL licence and then carry out the usual "fit and proper person" checks if somebody wants to take over ?

Smokey really is talking bull this time. The clubs are receiving the 300k THIS WEEK.

And?

If this is just an attempt to have a dig because of the tense used to describe a payment promised but not paid, thats some barrel scraping.

Well it must mean the money the RFL advanced the Bulls was from their normal tv money, still don't understand why it needs paying back ?

It could just be the author poorly worded a sentence.

Makes a big difference if instead of advanced, they meant loaned

From pendants corner over here, the phrase 'advanced [some money' could mean different things according to common usage nowadays. When you take out a loan it's common to describe the money as being 'advanced' to your account, even though it's a loan, not an 'advance payment' for anything. It could also of course absolutely mean 'a payment in advance' for something, but word 'advance' in the context I read it, didn't rule out it being a loan, gift, or anything for that matter, just simply that some money had been transferred.

I thought the £300k was a sort of bribe



I’m sure the RFL have lent some money to Bradford over the last few months, I wonder if they deduct it from the said “windfall”.

I want all this mess sorting and bradford to be on a stable footing for the start of the season but it's obvious that they won't be.

With the reintroduction of promotion and relegation we should have all teams off a level playing field so nobody can cry foul come October time.

So frustrating that in the aftermath of restructure and a new television deal that these problems still hang over the sport.

The governing body needs to become proactive rather than reactive

There's a good argument to say the governing body should stay well away from the commercial dealings of clubs and just focus on the sport side of things - rules, refs, etc. Do you have much confidence that a more proactive RFL would produce better-run clubs? Even the RFL themselves pointed to micromanagement of clubs being a significant drain on resource and I have a lot of sympathy with them on that (though one has to ask who's fault that is in the first place).

Let's just say, they'd let Bradford collapse. Would that have really meant that the city of Bradford would have remained without a professional RL club for long? I doubt it. It always makes me laugh when people go on about how Wigan RL nearly collapsed under financial strain. And if they had? Would the RL town of Wigan just not have a Rugby League club? One season without at absolute worst. We'd be far better just letting clubs go under. Apart from the cost of bailing them out, there's the 'moral hazard' of rescue.

Like with most things there are extremes of any situation.
If, by advancing some Sky monies, The RFL can genuinely assist a club in short term difficulties, then surely this is the right thing to do.
Should they prop up a dyeing club, to the detriment of others, the answer is No.
Most importantly, should they bent the truth in a full circle and try and dupe the general public, the answer is clearly No.
It is certainly right that the governing body of a sport, try and help any of its members that have difficulties on any level but, there should of course be limits.

Part of me agrees, but I can't help thinking that it would all be a lot simpler if the RFL constitution simply banned any form of 'bailing out' and kept hold of its money for simple, fair and straightforward distribution according to pre-agreed levels. Everyone would then know exactly where they stood and there'd be no issue of 'one rule for them, another for us'.

I certainly think that admin should = relegation.

So that we can make a club which goes in to admin even more unattractive to new investors?

So that means you think Wakefield should have been relegated in 2011 when they went into administration then?

I'm sorry but I just cannot see pound coins, £5, £10, £20 or £50 notes wafting around a field as exciting as a game of RL.

Others here undoubtedly can as it seems that is the only thing that matters not the game.

However each to their own.

silly idea, your own team would be lost in the championship by now under that idea

It's not a silly idea if it is laid down in the rules and everyone (including the fans) is aware of it in advance.
And it would put a stop to the circus that the Bulls have now become part of.

There is no fun being owed money by any business that goes pop and then starts trading shortly afterwards, even when said new company has different management on board and certainly, the threat of relegation would prevent some instances of admin.

btw, I'm not saying the Bulls should be relegated but, now would be a good time to include this within the bylaws of the game, it may just help our credibility ?

Its not really workable though is it? If say Bradford went bumb in 2 months, would they be relegated straight away or at the end of the season? who would replace them in SL this year? how would all this effect P&R?

A points deduction is far more sensible, even if its 12 or more so the team are almost certainly in the relegation fight at the end of the year

[urlhttp://companycheck.co.uk/director/907682288[/url
He's a Sports Marketing consultant as far as I can make out, who set up a corporate hospitality firm around RLWC 2013. Doubt very much he has the cash in the bank needed to turn Bradford Bulls around, so he'll probably be welcomed by all concerned



I've already said it, but THANKS AGAIN to Bradford Bulls for making this off season entertaining

not that you'd care in the slightest but as someone who's watched Bradford all my life I find it upsetting rather than entertaining. But hey I should just man up and I'm glad you've found some joy in your life. I think the addition of the laughing emoticon adds that touch of class.

woe be you


Try being a London Broncos fan.
Bradford could be docked 30 points this year and will still finish above us, so stop being so ing precious!

no you misunderstand I expressed contentment that you find it amusing. I didn't berate you in any way. You need to find slightly more innovative ways of saying f.ucking by the way.

Yes, I'd go with that, which just leave the problem of any indiscretions during the close season, although a similar penalty could apply.