Guest Writer - @Jacobdoyle97
Latest Thoughts
Another week, another negative Bradford Bulls headline. In recent weeks, the club has parted ways with Coach Francis Cummins and prior to that an independent panel upheld an RFL sanctioned six-point deduction against them. This time the weekly controversy circus centred on the decision of the club to appeal the decision of that independent panel in the High Court, a move which has already been labelled unlikely by experts. Bradford’s financial problems have been well documented in the last few years, and as every Super League round passes with Bradford slipping further and further into the relegation zone, it seems like the club is nearing financial oblivion. It is frankly a sad demise for a proud club which has achieved Super League Grand Final victories (A feat only bettered by Leeds Rhinos and St Helens) and reached the playoffs for eleven straight seasons from 1998-2008. However, should the Rugby League community be concerned that the Bradford Bulls is only a precursor for more troubled clubs?
It is clear when looking at the game as a whole that it has an inferiority complex. Despite crowds increasing at most Super League grounds and more TV time being given to the sport than at any other point in the game’s history, we still eye up the monumental commercial success of the sister code, Rugby Union, with rampant green eyed jealousy. With every release of revenue figures by the RFU – over £150 million in 2013 - and news of a huge Premiership transfer, cries of injustice can be heard on the Super League terraces. Yet one simple fact remains. Rugby Union is a sport played mostly by prosperous cities in the South, while Rugby League is played by provincial towns in the North. From that statement it is easy to blame the North/South divide, but it is plain and simple that Super League clubs do not produce enough money to share a level playing with Rugby Union.
According to a recent Sheffield Hallam University report, as many as 11 Super League clubs are in financial difficulty, with a total amount of debt between teams reaching an eye-watering £68 million. From that figure alone, the majority of Super League fans should be concerned, perhaps even apprehensive over the future of their team. Even more alarming from a commercial point of view was the Super League’s failure to find a sponsor for the 2013 season, after Stobart pulled out after one season of sponsorship.