35 replies to this topic

[alienboy]

http://www.sportingl...08.html&BID=480

Oh Dear - maybe we can take some of their players on loan to help them out

[Netherton Ram]

Can you really see the Bulls going under when the RFL has just bought their ground? On the other hand, maybe the RFL saw it coming and bought the land so they can make money from selling it to a housing developer!

[Blind side johnny]

Sad but no real surprise is it?

Will anyone offer me decent odds against it being the only SL side to take this step this season?

[funkmaster flex]

You have to ask the question though - How does one of the greatest rugby league teams of the 90's and well into the 2000's end up like this?
Bad financial management? The RFL putting money into expansion rather than nurturing the heartlands? Bad marketing?

A quick look shows that in 1996 their average home attendance was around 9k then in 1997 it jumped to a whopping 15k, then steadily dropped to 12k in 2007.
Are fans really that fickle that they would drop off in their thousands due to not lifting the trophy? Perhaps, but I still must pose the question - what has changed? In 1996 they had 9k home attendance, lets assume its about that now. What is different?

[Blind side johnny]

You have to ask the question though - How does one of the greatest rugby league teams of the 90's and well into the 2000's end up like this?
Bad financial management? The RFL putting money into expansion rather than nurturing the heartlands? Bad marketing?

A quick look shows that in 1996 their average home attendance was around 9k then in 1997 it jumped to a whopping 15k, then steadily dropped to 12k in 2007.
Are fans really that fickle that they would drop off in their thousands due to not lifting the trophy? Perhaps, but I still must pose the question - what has changed? In 1996 they had 9k home attendance, lets assume its about that now. What is different?

The simple answer is that yes a large number of SL fans are that fickle. Many were initially attracted by the glitz and glamour rather than the sport itself. Others were glory-hunters, common in all sports. Many were tempted as families to attend, and kids particularly like winning teams, so when the kids lose a bit of interest so do the parents.

Selling sports attendance in general and RL in particular is a hard task and the product has to consistently match up to the hype. Where it doesn't you lose support.

By the way, do you imagine for one minute that they were profitable in 1997?

[grumpyoldram]

Sad but no real surprise is it?

Will anyone offer me decent odds against it being the only SL side to take this step this season?

I wouldn't bet piggys mates pocket money against it. When one or two others go to the wall and the competition becomes light on numbers, will sky remain interested in wehat is a largely parochial sport? doubt it somehow. There would, be maybe half a dozen teams who could deal with the loss of sky based on support, and they would struggle to hold on to good players in the face of competition from RU. Championship could well be about to get much bigger IMO.

[coolie]

You have to ask the question though - How does one of the greatest rugby league teams of the 90's and well into the 2000's end up like this?
Bad financial management? The RFL putting money into expansion rather than nurturing the heartlands? Bad marketing?

A quick look shows that in 1996 their average home attendance was around 9k then in 1997 it jumped to a whopping 15k, then steadily dropped to 12k in 2007.
Are fans really that fickle that they would drop off in their thousands due to not lifting the trophy? Perhaps, but I still must pose the question - what has changed? In 1996 they had 9k home attendance, lets assume its about that now. What is different?

simple

higher wages for average players,the need to compete thus the extra expenditure to stay exactly where you once were

players want more,so the clubs pay more,the fans have to pay more...its a sidney vicious circle that unfortunatley is bringing the clubs down

were not as good as the aussies and never will be and super league aint no NRL...looking at the full grounds on TV prove that.

i think this has been on the cards for a while & i was tipped off when odsal was sold to the RFL,this was done to safe guard bradford a home
once the do-do started to fly.....and it is now.

might do bradford some good to shed a little timber....

if you cant afford players....dont promise them the earth when signing them

ive very little sympathy for them

[Gary Coyle]

Virtually giving season tickets away and maxing out on the 2.5 million salary cap wont help

[EQUALIZER]

There in a catch 22.They sold the ground to relieve the problem.However now theyve no ground the banks halved there overdraft as their collaterals gone.Wonder if theyve done a fast one on the banks. If worst comes to the worst and they do a crusaders.Theyve still a ground.

[HaroldShand]

Can you really see the Bulls going under when the RFL has just bought their ground? On the other hand, maybe the RFL saw it coming and bought the land so they can make money from selling it to a housing developer!

This leads to the question of why they were given a franchise renewal when the RFL's in-depth investigation of the club's finances must have made it clear they were teetering on the brink of disaster. How very corrupt.

[Ackroman]

This leads to the question of why they were given a franchise renewal when the RFL's in-depth investigation of the club's finances must have made it clear they were teetering on the brink of disaster. How very corrupt.

I can't help thinking licencing was a tool to help clubs like Bradford smooth over the cracks with more time to do it rather than improve standards.

[Wilsden Ram]

It also gives a false picture of health when the 15,000+ gate figures include thousands
of free tickets given away on a regular basis in Dewsbury, Batley and other local towns.

[John North]

The franchising system is corrupt because there is no way this situation has miraculously materialised over the past 6 months.

The financial auditing of SL clubs is a sham (Barrow would be in the championship if the same people auduted their books)

A clear case of the RFL safeguarding their crown jewels (ie Super League)

I would have no sympathy if the Bulls go to the wall and maybe, just maybe, the Super League community will finall pull their collective heads out of the sand.

[EQUALIZER]

The franchising system is corrupt because there is no way this situation has miraculously materialised over the past 6 months.

The financial auditing of SL clubs is a sham (Barrow would be in the championship if the same people auduted their books)

A clear case of the RFL safeguarding their crown jewels (ie Super League)

I would have no sympathy if the Bulls go to the wall and maybe, just maybe, the Super League community will finall pull their collective heads out of the sand.

As the song goes.YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH.

[HaroldShand]

As the song goes.YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH.

That lovely man Steve O'Connor has dipped his generous hand into his fat wallet and contributed £10'000 to the Bradford fund. Makes you wonder if, during the time his club spent in the Championship, he'd have so readily made a similar donation to a fund that had been set up to save Batley, Dewsbury or Featherstone?
I doubt it, as it probably wouldn't have done his efforts to cosy up to Super League much long-term good.

[Blind side johnny]

That lovely man Steve O'Connor has dipped his generous hand into his fat wallet and contributed £10'000 to the Bradford fund. Makes you wonder if, during the time his club spent in the Championship, he'd have so readily made a similar donation to a fund that had been set up to save Batley, Dewsbury or Featherstone?
I doubt it, as it probably wouldn't have done his efforts to cosy up to Super League much long-term good.

Wow, someone donates £10K and you can only see a sinister intention behind it Harold. What could he have done to make you think it was a generous gesture?

[fredm]

Wow, someone donates £10K and you can only see a sinister intention behind it Harold. What could he have done to make you think it was a generous gesture?

One could ask what did he do for Blackpool?

[HaroldShand]

One could ask what did he do for Blackpool?

Mainly WHY he didn't do it for Blackpool.
Don't forget that Leigh were also in well-documented dire straits during last season. Where was he then? Or when Keighley were on the brink a few years back?

Edited by HaroldShand, 29 March 2012 - 11:07 AM.

[Blind side johnny]

So the guy pledges £10K towards the Bulls appeal (remind me just when did Blackpool launch an appeal) and by doing so goes down in your collective estimations?

Remarkable.

[STEVE P]

It makes you wonder what makes clubs spend money that they haven't got to aspire to something which doesn't seem to bring any real financial reward for the investment. There's something fundamentally wrong with the game at all levels. Whether its bad management, or the players taking too much out of the game I don't know and its hard to see how things can be turned around now.

Talking about money, the old men amongst us will remember when the old Bradford Northern suffered a similar demise in the 60's. Dewsbury bought their kit, which was already well worn, wore it and laundered it until the red, amber and black band was pink, cream and grey. Brass wasn't parted with as easily in those days.