The Virtual Terrace • Re: Odsal

This seems to be the definitive statement on leaving Odsal.............

"Announcing the groundshare agreement earlier this month, Chalmers blamed the cost of rates, rent and maintenance for the decision to leave Odsal - Bradford's home for 85 years". So these were the issues......Here's an old news story.......

The Rugby Football League have bought Odsal Stadium from the Bradford Bulls and will rent it back to them.The game's governing body say they have paid an undisclosed sum to add the famous Yorkshire ground to their property portfolio, with the Bulls becoming tenants of the home they have occupied since 1934.. Bradford chairman Peter Hood confirmed that his club had made the initial approach to the RFL and hailed the announcement as 'excellent news'.

Further information and analysis would be welcome from any knowledgable fan, all I can recall is Bulls feeling stung on the rent and rates and pulling out of the City in protest. So it could be Nigel Wood has put together a financial plan for Bulls to be able to operate in Superleague from Odsal that includes much lower levels of rent and rates charges from the RFL and the council?

I appreciate your desire for Bulls to actually win promotion, I also appreciate the desire of 9 big Superleague clubs to just hoist them back into Superleague 2022 so they can get the income from the Bulls fanbase to mitigate the lower TV deal. But would they do this? maybe Derek Beaumont can comment??