Joined: Jun 22 2005 Posts: 9554 Location: bradford
Pumpetypump wrote:So perhaps there's a steady pair of hands behind the scenes which fits with what Sawyer says about capable Nigel Wood being involved. But did Nigel ever strike you as the shy retiring type? I'm not sure why he isn't becoming the face of the club, unless the minority stake his family have bought is literally the extent of his interest?
I wonder if there's anther silent partner involved. Don't think Nigel Wood is that wealthy per se. Generally people who get involved in ownership of rugby clubs are wealthy local businessmen with an attachment to the club wanting to give something back/ have a hobby. Nigel Wood doesn't seem to fit into that category.
Joined: Oct 26 2005 Posts: 3251 Location: Bradford
Bullseye wrote:I'm struggling to see why the RFL took the lease. I would suggest it's incompetence on the part of the RFL to try and cover up/plug a financial hole for the loans they had advanced the club prior to 2012. All they've got is a financial millstone. If it had investment potential it would've been realised yonks ago. The RFL turning down investors to give the club to Chalmers suggests they wanted "their man" running things for some as yet unknown reason.
Well Nigel is in charge now - everyone knows this even if it's not officially confirmed. What are his plans for Odsal? Has he got any? I worry that he hasn't and all we have is a ruin of a ground that is getting worse. While Wood remains in the background we supporters are expected to just back the team and not ask any awkward questions - even if we did we wouldn't get any answers. The RL media won't rock the boat - too many vested interests.
I fear it will all end in tears - probably once the TV money runs out next year.
At the time I thought the RFL had a cunning plan for the lease which involved redeveloping the site, having a primary tenant (Bulls) being big enough for CC Semifinals & internationals (money stays within RFL rather than going to a stadium management company), moving Red Hall to the site (central, M62 access saves on rent) and moving the RL museum to the site.
As time has gone by, it is obvious it was just short term, emergency action to gain an asset for their unsecured loans which has caused more trouble for the RFL and the wider game because no-one actually had time to think about it. They just wanted to cover their backsides for when the likes of Lenaghan and Moran started asking questions about the loans. Because of Odsal & the RFL - it's caused governance issues with Sport England (who give £millions annually to RL), it's caused conflict of interest with how they related to other clubs and it's messed up the administrators attempts to gain value for creditors and stable owners for the Bulls.
Joined: Oct 26 2005 Posts: 3251 Location: Bradford
mat wrote:On field side seems to be well managed TBF. Off field social media side seems a lot more professional now and first time in years we have had shirts and merchandise available before xmas in years and haven't seen any complaints about quality.
All of this - off field and on field I would put down to Sawyer & Kear. Sawyer has just transferred over all his experience of running a club sustainably to Bradford. Kear knows how to maximise a playing budget.
mat wrote: Areas where there needs to be better communication are long term plans, ownership and investment. Also some clarity around Odsal.
These are the areas that Sawyer thinks are for Wood to own, not him. Which is what the recent interviews have been about.
Joined: Dec 22 2001 Posts: 32123 Location: The Corridor of Uncertainty
So if what people are saying is right the day to day is being run ok but the bigger issues are still a total mystery. If we do move back to Odsal in its current state I do fear it will lead to oblivion again unless running costs are being borne somewhere else – a bit of clarity on this front would help.
Highlander’s summary of the way Odsal ended up in the hands of the RFL seems to fit with my interpretation and hardly paints Nigel in a good light.
"If you start listening to the fans it won't be long before you're sitting with them," - Wayne Bennett.
Joined: Jun 22 2005 Posts: 9554 Location: bradford
with relation to running costs, the rent wasn't the issue and its broadly comparable to what we're paying at Dewsbury from memory. Its the maintenance and business rates bills which were the killer. Presumably these are now split between us and the stock cars. whether that brings them down to manageable level or not I guess only time will tell.
Joined: Nov 28 2009 Posts: 2051 Location: Mirfield
At the minute the hope has to be that we have found someone in Sawyer who has the brains to run the business and to be fair he isn’t doing bad and has a proven track record with Dewsbury
Joined: Oct 26 2005 Posts: 3251 Location: Bradford
Purely factually, handing back the stadium costs to the RFL and only having a "pay as you play" deal at Dewsbury just as a world wide pandemic hit won't have done Bulls finances any harm, especially with furlough of staff thrown in. For any club, stadium and staff are the 2 main costs. When you also add the fact that a lot of sponsors and ST holders didn't want refunds, 2020 for the Bulls has a fair amount of income with very little expense. This is of course the reason that the SL clubs used to justify holding back some money from the 12th club as the 11 SL clubs will have lost money over the same period.
Joined: Mar 01 2002 Posts: 10969 Location: Bradbados
What I find most worrying is the fact that Odsal is a 'money pit', That and the stock cars/speedway tie up (much as I liked watching both), which seems like back to the future and not exactly the 21st century ground we thought/hoped might be in the offing.
Don't get me wrong. If the team carries on, I've been going far too long to give up now, so I guess I'll still be there, but it does all seem more like a long winding down process rather than a springboard into the promised land.
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. Mark Twain
I commented on this article suggesting it isn't possible to make Odsal either sustainable or fit for purpose as our home ground. I also suggested that the developers claims that "It's going to bring an awful lot of business." and "People are looking to book hotels, etc. etc." sounds fanciful. This is their response:
Startrax wrote:Actually politely being a positive person myself and 24 years experience and having operated Odsal previously, I can 100% assure Bradford, some planned events at Odsal will bring significant tourism . hotel business to the City and add ons - people are already requesting Hotel details. one major event planned attracts around 3000 visitors alone from Mainland Europe, these major events when announced from experience see hotels booked up often 12 months in advance - and that's without outside food / drink - fast food outlets etc. We WANT businesses in Bradford to benefit from the re opening of Odsal together with the employment the stadium will create locally in terms of event stewarding, catering staff etc,etc, many posts will genuinely be created. We all need some positivity in life, for myself, a 23 year journey to make this happen! Lets be positive. Nearer the time I will provide substance and proof of what it will generate. When it opens, this will be the beginning, not the end of investment - It is impossible to reboot a stadium some 120 years proud into a 'brand new' stadium day 1. The Bulls and ourselves are working closely and on day one it will be significantly 'brighter' 'more loved' and then work will continue over coming years, piece by piece, revenue justifies further investment. We want something beyond me being custodian, a stadium and events to be proud of and to be respected by Oval racing fans and Rugby fans alike after a 20 year turbulent period,past is the past, energy is for what can be achieved in the future and the illuminating start is getting the old girl functioning and restoring her pride.
I wish them no ill-will at all, but none of that remotely changes my mind. It all feels a little delusional.
I commented on this article suggesting it isn't possible to make Odsal either sustainable or fit for purpose as our home ground. I also suggested that the developers claims that "It's going to bring an awful lot of business." and "People are looking to book hotels, etc. etc." sounds fanciful. This is their response:
Startrax wrote:Actually politely being a positive person myself and 24 years experience and having operated Odsal previously, I can 100% assure Bradford, some planned events at Odsal will bring significant tourism . hotel business to the City and add ons - people are already requesting Hotel details. one major event planned attracts around 3000 visitors alone from Mainland Europe, these major events when announced from experience see hotels booked up often 12 months in advance - and that's without outside food / drink - fast food outlets etc. We WANT businesses in Bradford to benefit from the re opening of Odsal together with the employment the stadium will create locally in terms of event stewarding, catering staff etc,etc, many posts will genuinely be created. We all need some positivity in life, for myself, a 23 year journey to make this happen! Lets be positive. Nearer the time I will provide substance and proof of what it will generate. When it opens, this will be the beginning, not the end of investment - It is impossible to reboot a stadium some 120 years proud into a 'brand new' stadium day 1. The Bulls and ourselves are working closely and on day one it will be significantly 'brighter' 'more loved' and then work will continue over coming years, piece by piece, revenue justifies further investment. We want something beyond me being custodian, a stadium and events to be proud of and to be respected by Oval racing fans and Rugby fans alike after a 20 year turbulent period,past is the past, energy is for what can be achieved in the future and the illuminating start is getting the old girl functioning and restoring her pride.
I wish them no ill-will at all, but none of that remotely changes my mind. It all feels a little delusional.
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