Huge change at Bradford Bulls a blow to "creatures of habit"

They announced the decision had been made after consulting with fans, but the move does not appear to be universally popular, even though plenty have embraced and welcomed the decision.

A number of logistical issues have fairly been raised by disgruntled fans, and if you can only attend on one day or the other, as seems to be the case for several supporters, why would you bother buying a season ticket knowing you can only make half of Bulls’ 2025 games at Odsal?

Other than the traditional Good Friday offering and a league clash with Dewsbury in August, all of Bulls' home games in 2024 took place on a Sunday afternoon. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

But reading through the complaints as I have over the last few days, I was struck by something that is less about practicalities, and more about nostalgia, memories and comfort.

Because when it comes to a matchday, particularly in football and the two rugby codes, most of us probably do fear change.

I know this because I’m heading to St James’ Park today to watch my beloved Newcastle United take on Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.

And while I don’t exactly have a routine planned out to the minute on the two, three or four occasions I’m able to make it there each season thanks to my cousin’s season ticket going spare, there are certain things I cannot imagine not doing on a matchday.

I’ll get the slow trundler up from Middlesbrough to Newcastle, and wait for the atmosphere, rowdiness and lack of any personal space take over from Hartlepool onwards.

Depending how early I make it up there, I’ll grab a coffee late in the morning, before heading to watch the first half of the 12:30pm Premier League kick off (Spurs v West Ham this lunchtime) at Shearer’s Bar.

Then I’ll nip to the Tesco down the road and wolf down a half-time meal deal, before grabbing a pint in the iconic Strawberry next to the ground (don’t get a half there, I tried that once!).

I’ll queue up for my seat in the East Stand around 2:30pm, then enjoy 20 minutes or so in the ground soaking up Local Hero, the Blaydon Races, the Wor Flags displays and the general atmosphere.

During the game, my checklist is: shout a lot but don’t swear, jump on slightly bewildered old men around me if we score and never, ever leave the game before full time.

Also, call me a psycho, but I like the camaraderie of the half-time pit-stop in toilets that somehow look like they are straight out of the 1970s despite being part of a seemingly bespoke Premier League ground.

Afterwards, I’ll check how disastrous my Fantasy Premier League day has gone, because believe me the signal gets no better in grounds the higher up the divisions you go, then catch some of the 5:30pm kick off (Bournemouth v Arsenal tonight) before heading home on the train.

Once I’m back, I’ll buy myself a celebration/consolation parmo, because what else would you eat on Teesside?

With all that in mind, I can’t fault any Bulls fans for being upset by this decision to move half of the Odsal games to Friday night if they are creatures of habit.

Bradford have been playing Sunday afternoon rugby league for the majority of their 117-year history, so some of these routines will have passed through generations of fans.

People earmarking the day to take their dad, their wife, their daughter etc to Odsal for the game, people catching up with their mates they haven’t seen for a fortnight for a pre-match pint, people catching up with the players they have just been cheering on an hour earlier in the Southbank Stand.

Many of those in the stand and on the terraces at Odsal will have been going to home games together for years, but some of those will be unable to attend next summer's matches in BD6 due to them being on a Friday night. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

For many next season, that may no longer be possible, and that, to my nostalgic little heart, is the saddest thing about this change.

There’s also an irony that had Bulls not announced any alteration to their usual summer schedule, despite it clearly being a benefit to some that a few months’ worth of home games will be moved from Sundays to Fridays, no-one would have been complaining the other way.

From a business sense, I can see why Bulls are giving this ‘split season’ a go for 2025, and certainly the Friday night game against Dewsbury back in August did not provide an obvious drop off in crowd numbers, even if it did not suddenly add another 1,000 spectators to the gate either.

Bradford have openly stated that they want attendance figures at Odsal to be around 4,000 if possible, yet the only game they played in the whole of 2024 that was above that total was the Sunday afternoon 1895 Cup semi-final against Wakefield.

There were 5,340 spectators at Odsal that day, but their highest recorded league crowd in BD6 was just 3,853, for the Easter Weekend clash against Halifax in March.

Bulls welcomed good numbers for this Easter game with Halifax, but they did not tend to get those numbers at Odsal as the season progressed. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

So, perhaps this experiment is worth a try after all.

Just be prepared for the inevitable and understandable pushback Bulls, is all I’m saying.