If they have paid a bargain price and are serious about developing a ' national home ' in a similar vien to twickenham? , then fine, if this is just to save a member club? , oh dear

What land would they have owned in return for the million quid?



That's not a parallel - they would have nobody to rent the stadium too like they do in this instance.



They're not a charity - they must see something in this long term. I'm not sure many people with much sense would buy a stadium for Oldham and wait for the cash to flow in from rent . . . . .



It's difficult to see what is going on here until we get the full facts, but it's likely to be a commercial proposition for the RFL whereby they can buy some land and get Bradford to finance it through rent. I'd be surprised if they were investing in the Bulls for charity's sake. There will be a reason and I'm sure that reason is in the game's best interests and makes commercial sense for the governing body.



I don't think so, it shows they are willing to think outside the box if a commercial opportunity arises that may benefit the game.

To the upset Wakey fans - I see your point (although it's far from a direct parallel) but the brutal truth is that losing the Bulls would impact the game and its value to broadcasters far more than losing Wakey. All IMO of course.

So next years MM weekend will be in










Bradford

Its just that easy isnt it. Dont factor in any costs what so ever, lets just have these fantasies that Odsal will be amazingly transformed into a world class venue. Odsal is nowhere near the standard needed for premier games and it will take alot of money (that isnt there) and time to change that. Great deal for Bradford though.

So we have the ' Animal Farm ' SDL?

I don't think it's a coincidence that the RFL have bought the stadium with the biggest capacity, and i'd say by far the most amount of land and room for expansion of any club.

I'm quite optimistic about this, as an earlier poster said earlier, RL needs a home. Odsal fits the bill for me.

And if next years MM is in Bradford-good! Let's start making some money for our game rather than paying everyone else to use their facilities.

The stadium meets the current criteria [inow[/i. This move seemingly means that the Bulls can relax knowing that it will always meet the criteria in future without them having to spend a penny on it. That's not a unique situation in itself, but the fact that it's the RFL who have enabled it is.

Were those stadia offered to the RFL on an attractive buy & lease back deal?

What you suggested for Saints, CAs and Oldham were all very different propositions.

Bill it would be years if not decades before Odsall was in a position to generate any money back into the sport, this would most definatly be long term planning, in fact initially it would be doing the opposite, using money to develop that would be used elswhere in the sport, unless Nigel has found 30 million down the back of a Red Hall sofa?

Paves the way for a london stadium.

I think a lot of people are reading this as "The RFL are buying Bradford Bulls a brand new stadium"

They're not.

I know that it's traditional to grab the wrong end of the stick and start beating around the bush with it but seriously folks, read the press release, check the facts, then comment.

The way the press release reads the Bulls were about to have their stadium sold from under them The RFL have stepped in, bought the ground and are RENTING it back to Bradford. It also states the RFL have no plans for redevelopment of the stadium.

However, if Odsal was to be redeveloped as the home of RL then I'd hope they'd go with the new stadium plan from the OSV which involved filling the bowl in to a level with the concourse where the bars and food stalls are and then building a stadium up from that base rather than attempt to redevelop the stadium in it's current state.

Seems to make complete sense to me. The RFL own a large venue that, while not perfect, is up to the standards required, and a club has it's home secured. Why would they have splashed out on Belle Vue which is not up to it, hence the plans to move. Everyone wants to see a conspiracy where there isn't one. I didn't even know they owned other stadia until today.

I really can't get involved with all this 'Lewis and Wood out' nonsense. The reason Wakefield are in the hole they are is bad management for decades and some supporters who were willing to be complicit in it by toadying up to that management. Not the RFL's fault.

Maybe they will sell Red Hall, move the offices to Odsal and save money that way?