Bradford Bulls awarded probationary Super League licence

The RFL Board of Directors has awarded a one-year probationary licence to Bradford Bulls which will allow the club to remain in a 14-team Super League for 2013.
The decision of the RFL’s independent Board of Directors was relayed to Bradford Bulls and the sport’s other member clubs earlier today and ends the uncertainty that has surrounded the structure of both Super League and the Championship competitions in recent months.
Bradford Bulls were reinstated as full members of the RFL earlier this week after the club’s new owner provided all the financial information required for the governing body to complete its due diligence process.
RFL Chief Executive Nigel Wood said: “This is a very positive development which provides stability for all the clubs in Super League and the Championship and allows the sport to approach next season with even greater confidence.
“The Board deliberated long and hard and took into consideration the many views of the sport’s various constituents before reaching a decision which we believe is in the best interests of the whole game.
“The new owners of Bradford Bulls are to be congratulated on their foresight in purchasing a club which we always knew was a very attractive proposition. Their investment in Bradford Bulls is a vote of confidence in Super League.

“A probationary licence allows us to closely monitor the performance of Bradford Bulls next season and develop a view on what direction we take in future years. That direction will be framed by the ongoing strategic policy review that we expect to present to clubs in the first half of 2013.
“The probationary licence also precludes the need for a mini-licensing round, which the overwhelming majority of clubs accept was impractical given the timeframes involved.
“The RFL Board and Executive will continue to work with all member clubs to build on the terrific progress we have experienced in 2012.”

c/o TotalRL.com

I rest my case!

I will say no more on the subject.

This decison is a complete farce, Bradford should start next season down in NL2 and come back up that way. Super League can still carry on without them with 13 teams. Why should the clubs in the Championship get their finances etc in order ready for a franchise application when a current franchise goes into administration but nothing happens to them.

So the mini round of licencing never happened.

So reinstating Bradford was the only option otherwise 13 team league with no format for Magic Weekend.

All said I'm happy to see the Bull's survive.

Because it has now set a precedent. What is to stop Rovers/Salford/London and any others with financial problems going down the exact same route Bradford have? The Scottish FA had the right idea when they demoted Rangers "Newco" to the bottom tier, so it sends out the right message to other sides not to go down this route unless you want to start at the bottom from scratch.

The RFL on the other hand have said, go down this route and all you will lose is 6 points.

Except that the other SL clubs voted for SL to stay at 14 teams. So, no - SL couldn't carry on with 13 teams next season.


Nothing happened to the Bulls? I must have imagined the 6 point deduction and losing their coaching staff etc. And being put on probation for a year (which may or may not be significant, granted).

And of course the main reason they would do so is because they won't get into SL if they don't.

Why would it be for the good of the game for Bradford not to be in SL? They generate decent crowds and they have a reasonabily competitive team. Despite the mullering we gave them, as we went into that game Bradford had won more games than us in SL this season at that point.

I really don't understand your gripe? Both London and Wakey have both gone into adminisatration in the past, they were not demoted. Its not like there is a history of it.

By all means do explain your discord, if you actually have one!

KOSH, I hate to say this, but you are an idiot!

As the statement points out, the other clubs said they couldn't do the 'mini round' in the time available.

A 13 team league was off the table when the other SL clubs voted against it weeks ago. The only options were to keep the Bulls in place for a season or promote someone from the Championship without being able to fully assess them first. Neither choice was ideal TBH.

Care to point out where I have any facts wrong? Or are you still not capable of an adult discussion?

Not really.


How about having to replace their BOD? Finding a willing buyer not previously connected with the club? Losing their coaching staff? The personal ramifications to directors of taking a business into administration or liquidation? Credit blacklisting?

It really isn't a soft option and there is absolutely no guarantee of getting a similar result.


The RFL have applied the rules as voted for by member clubs. Which is exactly what the SFA did. If the other Scottish clubs had wanted Rangers to stay up then they would have.

No facts are wrong, but to suggest that Bradford have been adequately punished is close to insanity, what have they lost exactly?

Should HKR now just go bust and restart as a SL team with no debt?

Should London do the same, we can let Salford as well while we are at it!

Level playing field my back side!!

I know, I already covered that in an earlier post.

The only surprise to me was that the Mini Licencing wasn't taking place, which would have been a lip service exercise anyway, Bradford were always going to be back in.

I don't have a problem with it, and as a previous poster mentioned Wakey & London went into administration and remained in SL (albeit London was before franchises). The difference with Bradford is there has been sucjh a big gap between administation and finding a new buyer so they have really been under the spotlight.

Now come on Mr Khan, get a lid on the away end of the new "Wembley of the North"