Rugby Football League Agrees To Set Up New Club In Bradford

The Rugby Football League agreed to a deal that will see "a new club set up in Bradford for the start of the season," according to Dave Woods of the BBC. The old Bradford Bulls were "liquidated earlier this month" after the team's latest spell in administration, "after years of financial problems." Four bids to "revive the club" were received by the game's governing body. The identity of the winning consortium "is not expected to be revealed until next week, but it is believed to be headed by Andrew Chalmers." He is a former chair of New Zealand Rugby League and used to be a director at Salford Red Devils. The group "came close to taking the Bulls out of administration during the Christmas period," when a bid it made was rubber-stamped by the RFL, "only to be rejected by the administrator." The new club will remain in the Championship, "but will start the new season with a 12-point deficit." It will also continue playing at Odsal Stadium, "the lease for which is owned by the RFL" (BBC, 1/13).