As every week goes by there are more embarrassing stories relating to Bradford in the newspapers ie the total shambles of the city centre, spitting at poppy sellers etc, is it now coming to a time where the club should consider dropping the word Bradford from the name and become the Northern Bulls?
I don't see why we should offer any publicity to Bradford or the excuse for a council, and surely without the word Bradford in our name we would be more attractive to potential sponsers?
It would be interesting to know how many of our supporter base do not actually live in the city.

Don't be silly.

Be very, very careful what you wish for.

One, far from unrealistic, future scenario is that the (cash-strapped, locked into old stadium) club is taken over by someone WITH some money. With the intention, doubtless with the full backing of the RFL, of relocating the franchise away from the SL-crowded West Yorkshire to some "development area".

A long way from Bradford.

Or there is some RFL-engineered forced-merger with another club, one with the funds and the stadium but not the players or the structure.

Potentially a long way from Bradford.

Far-fetched? Go ask Gateshead or Sheffield?


Dropping the "Bradford" from the name would hardly help the chances of keeping the club in Bradford?

If we were the Bradford Council Bulls you would have a point. It isn't Bradford, it's the clowns and charlatans that are supposed to run it.

As a Bradfordian still living in the city, I find myself thinking that a lot of bulls fans living outside the city (and I wouldn't be surprised if that's most bulls fans) wouldn't give a rats ass if we moved out of the city. I dont think that scenario is just limited to the fans either!

The calls seem to get louder every year, it maybe a good idea for the club but I'm afraid rl as a whole would become a laughing stock and Would lose me as a fan!

have you been to Wigan recently? I would feel safer and have less shame living in the poppy fields of afghanistan and Wigan RLFC do alright

The club would be called the Bradford Council Bullshìt then, though?

I was born and raised in Bradford and started going to watch Bradford Northern when I was about 8 (so my dad says anyway), but I have not lived in the city since I left for uni in 1994. Now if it was not for the Bulls I wouldn't visit Bradford at all, and over the years I've lost pretty much any affinity with the city, and it seems to have really gone downhill since I lived there, but Bradford Bulls is still my club.

I travel a fair way to each game at the moment, but If it dropped the name Bradford and moved out of the city to me personally it would no longer be the club my grandad, dad and I supported, so I would drift away from it and go watch my local team instead.

I would be very much against removing Bradford from the name, even if we stayed at Odsal, Bradford IS the name, the Bulls is the add on that could, as in the past, be altered if anything IMO.

Surely the best response is to help revitalise the club and show the country that there is some good in Bradford.

I was not suggesting that the club should move, i was suggesting that the Bradford part of the name should be dropped to improve its image and appeal to potential sponsors and supporters from any area.
Having said that the locals didn't seem too keen on backing the club in recent years until season tickets at give away prices appeared. If they were to move it would still be the same club but just playing in a different stadium, however that was not the original point i was making.

I live in Manchester, which isn't exactly that far away, and neither of those stories has made it this far and I read alot of newspapers. Rest of the UKs opinions of Bradford will have been made along time ago I'd imagine and will mostly be wrong. I don't see the benefit in dropping the name, Bradford Bulls has recognition outside RL as it is and most of it good.

The latest news in the T&A today is about a blind woman with a guide dog being mugged in the middle of the day! No doubt there will be another such tale in a couple of days.

we have won the super league as bradford bulls and loads of other trophies so why would we want to change? I see the point though because bradford is a mess.

And how far and wide do you think the T&A is read? Its not national news and if that is your reason for changing the name then do you think these things don't happen everywhere? Aviary near me had a load of birds decapitated by kids earlier in the year. Riots in Manchester city centre were international news but you don't hear Man Utd talking about dropping "Manchester" from their name.

I just don't think its a big deal for the club or something that anyone uses as the basis for supporting the club or not. If you are worried about effects to the clubs reputation outside of Bradford by stories in the T&A, then what I'm saying is don't - they don't register much outside Bradford.

It's not just the T&A though is it? When we used to live in Bradford and told people when travelling around the country where we came from it always got the same reaction, which was not very flattering, so by this i would imagine the club would suffer when trying to attract sponsors. I would assume to outsiders the name Northern Bulls would be more attarctive than Bradford Bulls.

I think we discuss this on a fairly regular basis. For me, a non Bradfordian, its the club I love not the city so I have no emotional links to the word "Bradford". That said, I can understand and respect the fact that those of us watching the club born in Bradford (and I'd still guess that to be the vast majority) are wary of dropping the name.

But as I say every time, we sit on the very edge of the district. We could retain our fanbase but remove ourselves from the clutches of ineptness simply by moving a few hundred yards down the 606.

I know, I was just also including the point made by Adey as well. As to if it would be the same club, I think that depends on each persons own view as to what the club is, to me the club is the community it is located in, and the supporters that have followed the club through the years, more so than what staff or players happen to be employed by the club at any given time.

If the community doesnt go with the club then to me its a different club, possibly just as valid, but not the same. As an example Wigan moved accross town, but it was the same name, community, same fans therefore same club. Wimbeldon FC moved to Milton Keynes, different community, different name, different fans therefore different club, in my personal view even though they retain the history of Wimbeldon - like I say others will no doubt have thier own view as to what a given club is.

Just on the name, I think you have to keep Bradford, and try to use the club as a way of being something positive about the city. Interesting point for discussion though.

You have made good points. It is the club NOT the city which we are supporting. As i said earlier it would be interesting to know how many of our supporters, NOT fans, actually live within the City of Bradford i supect there will be a large and increasing percentage who do not.
I can see no advantage in retaining the Bradford tag, as a brand it is the equivalent of Poundworld.

I do not agree 'Bradford' should be dropped whilst the Bulls are still in Bradford, obviously. However I can see why dropping the name could be an advantage in the world of re-branding, lets not forgot the re-invention from Northern to the Bulls, it worked coupled with a successful team! Also I totally agree that if you put the word Bradford with any company, organisation, etc it WILL promote a negative slant on that organisation. I was born and still live in Bradford (don't know for how long probably because I am starting to be one of those who rubbish Bradford as a place) and if I mention that to anybody outside the city in creates a picture of negativity and everything bad you can associate with the place even though I know the positive aspects. On the flip side if you say put word Leeds with an organisation (not in any way suggesting the Bulls should move to Leeds, never) it creates positivity whether we like it or not. E.G: Showcases Cinema is in Kirklees but states its in LEEDS! Whether I would support the 'Northern Bulls' if they moved out the city, I probably would and it would be probably quicker for Bulls' Fans to get there with a lot of support coming from the Calderdale/Kirklees area anyway!

MK Dons don't retain the history of Wimbledon - they did for a while, but the emergence of AFC Wimbledon as a 'proper' club put an end to that. So much so that MK even handed over the FA Cup from 1988 and this now stands on the honours board of AFC. They also never retained the community.

A club is not a physical entity, even in the days of clubs of businesses, but an organic being - made up of various constituent parts. Including its location. You can drop some of these parts, but if you continue to take away, it suddenly won't be that club anymore.

While it is a far more positive feeling working in Leeds than Bradford, I would say there is more crime & violence in Leeds. A large number of students are frequently beaten up around here but it doesn't seem to affect the image.

didn't realise that little twist, thanks. But it makes my point, a relocated club handing back history to the community where it belongs. And i agree with your second paragrapgh, the point where it crosses the line of not being the same club is very subjective I suspect and will be different for everyone.

It would still be the same club though, playing at the same ground but with a more appealing name.

Yes, we should stop being Bradford Bulls and become Leeds Bulls because Leeds is a much more positive 'brand' and will appeal more to ABC1 types.

Would you like that?

I think Middlesbrough FC should change to North Yorkshire Reds too, I mean Middlesbrough is a bit of a dump. Erm... and who like Burnley? That's a dead end town with no prospect of anything saving it... Pennine Clarets ftw.

Most of the negativity in Bradford seems to come from Bradfordians themselves, the outside view of the city probably suffers because of how some of those who live there are very bitter about everything.

Well if the people living there are negative about things that surely proves the point in question. If the locals tell you it is a hole then there is a fair chance that it will be and not just the opinion of some one miles away who has never been there.