That is my strong suspicion, except that they can't say that, because that opens up a real can of worms. I reckon they'll be actively looking for a buyer for a Championship restart where Odsal isn't part of the consideration. It also gets rid of Guilfoyle, and was that part of the thinking. I doubt the motive of the RFL is to save the Bulls per se. They could do that by allowing a newco entrance into the Super League. I think the motive is purer than that, to ensure that it doesn't end up in the hands of someone who shouldn't have it. I can't see how they can run the club and the game, and so I do not think they will own it by the start of the season.

You can't compare it to us because our administration was quick, and with decent buyers.

my thoughts too

I expect them to drop and stay there until they can get promoted

This is the first step towards the American model of the game owning clubs in what are termed important areas and then selling on the franchise for that area. Bradford will become the first club to be sold as a franchise.They will definitely not be relegated their crowd base are too important for the game to lose (in the RFL's eyes, not in mine).
The whole integrity of the sport and the present 3 year licensing system is now dead in the water.

I heard the RFL offered to clean the gents at Odsal because nobody else would at the club. I heard Langley had a bad stomach with the 5 protein shakes he has a day the RFL offered to help him out. Its a joke

Its been done clearly to avoid ABC or maybe even CC getting there hands on it. It is a joke, but I can see why it's happened.
I would imagine if the rumoured fees that were been offered before for certain players were offered again they would have to be accepted, but would the SL chairman be negotiating the fee with themselves???

I can see why it's been done, just can't seem to justify the double standards though
From what I have heard the ABC consortiums bid was a total joke, £100k for the club to pay the creditors and the administrator off (who's fee was around the £100k mark) with a £1.5m request for the lease back paid off in the means of a loan over an extended period at 0% interest rate, don't know how true that is but have heard from a number of people very similar figures

I thing SLE and the RFL have ensured that the club wont be sold to the wrong buyers with strings attached and taken the control of their destiny away from someone who "may not" have the best interests of RL in mind.

I also think there is some reasoning behind SLE & the RFL buying the bulls to maybe make sure they see out the season as liquidation would bring other problems to the table, pretty sure BB will start next season in championship 1 with promotion to championship at end of 2013 season and with the reintroduction of P&R at the end of 2014 they will be back in the top flight in 2015 following the end of licensing

Hopefully the bid is accepted and we can have an end to this long running soap opera

What I still don't understand is how they've been allowed to keep haemorraging (sp?) costs to keep a full salary cap squad together. They could quite easily have shed some players and reduced the wage bill, even 10% of their playing bill would save them £250K a year.
Surely the RFL/SL cannot now refuse to sell players if bids come in??

This is a disgrace.
Never has there been a greater conflict of interests.
Did they turn down the other bids so that they could buy the club?
Are they likely to send the club to the Championship if they own the club.
Can't believe the other clubs agreed to this.
There should be an investigation.... (by RFL/SLE no doubt!)

I wonder how HMRC will view this if they lose out when BB are taken out of admin?
How must Fev & Fax feel?

SLE Have bought the club to get it through to the end of the season then try sell it. Makes sense rather than advance payments which will end up going towards the administrator rather than putting the business in a better position for a sale, and also allows potential buyers to do a proper investigation into what they are buying rather than rushing into things. You also have the lease and business being run by companies who can use that to their advantage when selling, rather than the conflict between administrator and lease holder.

I'd put money down that SLE will not be running the Bulls at the start of the 2013 season.

Equally, I just cant see how the Bulls can continue in Super League next season after this level of intervention.
What happens if the Bulls make the play offs and then lose narrowly to one of the big boys, especially if there happens to be a dodgy v/r decision, or even beats one of the big boys with a poor decision.
There will be absolute uproar

They won't be in super league next year

Just been announced that all players will become free-agents once the deal with SL(E) is accepted.

Not too sure about that. two words .......Sky Sports.