Bradford Bulls - RedAmberandBlack.net • BIG Nigel Wood...talks Odsal/Bradford Bulls
(Aaron Bower) AB: What’s the latest on the legal case involving Bradford?
NW: There’s not a lot to be said. It’s private at the moment and I know that the RFL’s legal advisors are presenting the strongest possible case. That’s it.
AB: There’s an employment tribunal planned for January. Will it go that far from your perspective?
NW: Experience has taught me never to second-guess anything when litigation is involved.
AB: What about Odsal? Is there a clear idea what you want to do in terms of redeveloping it or selling the lease?
NW: Not necessarily. The purchase of the ground was, first and foremost, to protect an asset for the sport. It’s almost a national asset. At the time, the club that played there was consistently vulnerable so we want to see some stability there and a track record of that before we have a discussion. The long-term play for the RFL is not about holding the lease forever – but at the same time, we have to make sure the club is in a stable position. I don’t know when that position will change, but at the moment it gives the sport some security.
AB: So you need to see several years of stability at Bradford before anything can happen?
NW: That’s what the Board’s position will be. There needs to be some runs on the board and hopefully the club will have a more peaceful year in 2018, whatever its destiny is.
AB: There’s talk of Odsal being in the mix for this £10 million grant from the Government for a new national facility. Is that true?
NW: It’s probably important to clear up that it’s for a facility strategy, not necessarily one stadium or one building. The legacy people around the World Cup are negotiating with local authorities now, and I think there’ll be a number of beneficiaries from that.
AB: So do you have local Councils knocking your door down?
NW: Well, we’ve got to make it more than just simply building something somewhere. We spoke to a combined authority in the north of the country recently, and the idea we hammered home to them is that this is about creating a legacy in places, not just an event or a venue.
NW: There’s not a lot to be said. It’s private at the moment and I know that the RFL’s legal advisors are presenting the strongest possible case. That’s it.
AB: There’s an employment tribunal planned for January. Will it go that far from your perspective?
NW: Experience has taught me never to second-guess anything when litigation is involved.
AB: What about Odsal? Is there a clear idea what you want to do in terms of redeveloping it or selling the lease?
NW: Not necessarily. The purchase of the ground was, first and foremost, to protect an asset for the sport. It’s almost a national asset. At the time, the club that played there was consistently vulnerable so we want to see some stability there and a track record of that before we have a discussion. The long-term play for the RFL is not about holding the lease forever – but at the same time, we have to make sure the club is in a stable position. I don’t know when that position will change, but at the moment it gives the sport some security.
AB: So you need to see several years of stability at Bradford before anything can happen?
NW: That’s what the Board’s position will be. There needs to be some runs on the board and hopefully the club will have a more peaceful year in 2018, whatever its destiny is.
AB: There’s talk of Odsal being in the mix for this £10 million grant from the Government for a new national facility. Is that true?
NW: It’s probably important to clear up that it’s for a facility strategy, not necessarily one stadium or one building. The legacy people around the World Cup are negotiating with local authorities now, and I think there’ll be a number of beneficiaries from that.
AB: So do you have local Councils knocking your door down?
NW: Well, we’ve got to make it more than just simply building something somewhere. We spoke to a combined authority in the north of the country recently, and the idea we hammered home to them is that this is about creating a legacy in places, not just an event or a venue.
Statistics: Posted by Budgiezilla — Mon Jan 01, 2018 9:10 pm