[Mild Rover]

The sad demise of the Bradford Bulls : Tue Jan 03, 2017 2:50 pm  

It has been announced that the Bradford club is to be liquidated - very sad for their fans and RL generally. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/38418199 Not clear what will happen next. The 'brand' could be bought and a 'continuity' club could be formed - presumably playing in Champ 1 (which'd be pretty of pointless, apart from the name) or with a big points deduction in the Championship (possibly risking relegation). A completely new club could start in champ 1, or saddest of all there may be no pro team at Odsal (in 2017, at least). Of immediate relevance to Hull KR, our first competitive fixture of 2017 is up in the air.

It has been announced that the Bradford club is to be liquidated - very sad for their fans and RL generally. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/38418199 Not clear what will happen next. The 'brand' could be bought and a 'continuity' club could be formed - presumably playing in Champ 1 (which'd be pretty of pointless, apart from the name) or with a big points deduction in the Championship (possibly risking relegation). A completely new club could start in champ 1, or saddest of all there may be no pro team at Odsal (in 2017, at least). Of immediate relevance to Hull KR, our first competitive fixture of 2017 is up in the air.

Re: The sad demise of the Bradford Bulls : Tue Jan 03, 2017 3:42 pm  

Been following saga and hoped it wouldn't come to this.think bradford fans expected this but still it's awful for them and the staff there.nothing but empathy for them.only positive is at least it must be rock bottom now and only way is up? Whatever comes from the ruins must be built solidly preferably by someone/group of people with that community at heart.

[Mild Rover]

Re: The sad demise of the Bradford Bulls : Tue Jan 03, 2017 3:52 pm  

The RFL seems to favour a new Bradford club in the Championship with a 12 point deduction.

Has the advantage of convenience, I suppose. On the flipside, a club with no team has a month or so to get ready for a season where they need 6 wins to get to 0. (He said, tempting fate - they're going to beat us aren't they?)

Plus, if anybody in Champ 1 (e.g. Whitehaven) actually wanted the gig, it seems a bit unfair. The Odsal lease situation makes things ethically complex as well. There is no good solution, in fairness to the RFL.

Re: The sad demise of the Bradford Bulls : Tue Jan 03, 2017 4:37 pm  

Just read their page and it's a mess. Fans in lot of pain.few characters putting boot in while they at their lowest point.think we remember our bankruptcy etc and like I said I have nothing but sorrow for the loyal fans.will be interesting to see how rfl solve this situation but think whatever new regime starts up they gonna pay for multiple past mismanagement. Crap situation

Re: The sad demise of the Bradford Bulls : Tue Jan 03, 2017 5:13 pm  

Terrible situation made more real to us, by the fact there are players in that team that folk on here will know personally.
The RFL though yet again appear to have made an almighty cock-up by basically saying that anyone in the area that fancies needs to give them a ring and they are in!

I must presume they have already spoken to the two relegated teams and sounded them out?

The other point, is as the existing players are effectively OOC, they will be looking for a club and stability, whilst there will be clubs looking to top up their rosters with decent players, so there may not even be players out there to form a half decent C1 side let alone a Championship side!

The RFL need a club in Bradford or how do they justify owning Odsal!

The whole thing is just a sorry shameful mess

Re: The sad demise of the Bradford Bulls : Tue Jan 03, 2017 5:50 pm  

Mild Rover wrote:

The RFL seems to favour a new Bradford club in the Championship with a 12 point deduction.

Has the advantage of convenience, I suppose. On the flipside, a club with no team has a month or so to get ready for a season where they need 6 wins to get to 0. (He said, tempting fate - they're going to beat us aren't they?)

Plus, if anybody in Champ 1 (e.g. Whitehaven) actually wanted the gig, it seems a bit unfair. The Odsal lease situation makes things ethically complex as well. There is no good solution, in fairness to the RFL.

The solution is the rule that states all 'new' clubs start in the lower tier, and that is exactly what should happen for the integrity of the game.

I wonder how Barrow feel (losing finalist in the relegation battle) and Toronto Wolfpack who have to start from the bottom.

As for fairness to the RFL, this decision demonstrates another example of not 'fit for purpose'.

Re: The sad demise of the Bradford Bulls : Tue Jan 03, 2017 7:29 pm  

There's a lot of clubs, teams, companies, organisations and entities throughout sport and beyond that are poorly managed.

The recent history of the Bradford Bulls and their liquidation today is a graphic example of a litany of appalling decision making and the over reliance of living beyond means hoping for the good times to return. It's a fine line getting the right people involved in your operation and I can speak from direct personal experience in this regard.

From a Hull KR perspective, some hands-off bad management, a lack of scrutiny, dodgy contracts and poor coaching and recruitment decisions have caused a tsunami of positive reaction and intervention by our board to our recent self inflicted and adverse turn of events.

The Bradford situation marks a bleak day and low point for Rugby League in this hemisphere. The structure of our game in this country is currently shaky at best and needs an urgent makeover. Our governing body carries little credo and does not inspire confidence. How they respond to today's crisis may define their future and that of the sport. On the evidence of first responses so far, the omens don't look promising.

Re: The sad demise of the Bradford Bulls : Tue Jan 03, 2017 7:39 pm  

I feel angry and equally upset for the staff at Bradford and the bradford fans who have bought season passes and have lost money. The management must have known their was in trouble it's borderline fraud to do this?

Re: The sad demise of the Bradford Bulls : Tue Jan 03, 2017 8:04 pm  

Although it's a terrible situation for the fans they did have a great 10-15 years won everything more than most have in a 100 years but they will reform and start from the bottom a bit like us or Oldham

[R.B.A]

Re: The sad demise of the Bradford Bulls : Tue Jan 03, 2017 9:06 pm  

fun time frankie wrote:

Although it's a terrible situation for the fans they did have a great 10-15 years won everything more than most have in a 100 years but they will reform and start from the bottom a bit like us or Oldham

I reckon that there is a big chunk of Bradfords support who would gladly swap those 10 years of success for a stable Club now. I'm gutted for them.

Could you imagine waking up one morning and finding out your Club was gone? I would rather wake up to find the wife had gone.

On the flip side, we need props.

What I would like to see though, assuming The re born Bulls are ready to play round 1 is the Bradford fans who purchased season memberships to be given discounted entry to the match.