The future of Bradford Bulls’ Odsal stadium

If you think about rugby league, one of the most iconic stadiums you think of first is Odsal.

Home to the Bradford Bulls, Odsal played host to the largest attendance at a rugby match ever recorded with over 100,000 piling onto the terraces at a Challenge Cup replay between Halifax and Warrington.

After a hiatus spent at Dewsbury Rams’ Tetley’s Stadium, the Bulls signed a lease agreement from the RFL six months ago to cap off a return to their natural home.

And, now the club are moving forward, according to the new Chairman of Bradford, Nigel Wood.

“We’ve got a short-term lease to the end of the next year, we would like to extend that provided the terms can be agreed,” Wood told West Yorkshire Radio Rugby League.

“We’ve got an option to buy it – the bigger prize is how do we turn this facility into fit for purpose for the 21st century which should be a minimum requirement.

“I don’t believe the RFL have a long term interest in owning the site.”

That has led some calls for a new facility and a substantial redevelopment of the Odsal site.

“We’ve had some significant and positive discussions with some key decision-makers in the local authority.

“As you’re aware the Richard Dunn site has been vacated so something has to happen there.

“The local authority is clear that this part of Bradford is in need of some regeneration – there’s a park and ride possibility on what was the old tip behind one of the stands, there are many opportunities.

“I can’t put a plan in place for a particular stadium drawing and I wouldn’t do that until I could say for some confidence we could go forward with it.

“It just can’t be done by a bunch of volunteers who are currently at the club – it needs the collective agreement of the authorities.”