Bulls and Council develop youth engagement partnership

Bradford Bulls and Bradford Council have developed a new partnership to engage young people across the district and introduce a new generation of fans to rugby league.

The Council’s Youth Service has been working with the club following their return to the Super League and have been taking young people to home games. Many of the young people involved have never experienced a live rugby match before.

Matchday attendances at the club have risen since their promotion. Another bumper crowd is expected at the Bartercard Odsal Stadium this Friday when the Bulls host the Huddersfield Giants on Friday 20 March. The partnership with the Council’s Youth Service is part of securing long-term success that sees a new generation of fans supporting the team.

The club are keen to add to the matchday atmosphere and have booked chart-topping UK DJ Sigala, to perform at the Huddersfield match and enhance the match-day experience, after bringing Bradford’s own Bad Boy Chiller Crew to their first home match against the Catalan Dragons.

As part of the entertainment on Friday, Otley dance school Inspirations Dance will join 1,500 performers in a Guinness World Record attempt with DJ Sigala, to have the most backing dancers performing with a live artist.

Philip Sharp, co-owner and director at the club, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Council’s Youth Service to introduce young Bradfordians to the Bulls and rugby league. The Youth Service have been great to work with and we can’t wait to build on this relationship over the course of what is proving to be a really exciting season for the Bulls back in the Super League.”

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning & Transport, facilitated the partnership and said: “I’m so pleased we’ve been able to work with the club on this partnership and get young people watching the Bulls for the first time. It’s a great time to start following rugby league, especially with the exciting, attacking rugby the club are playing right now.”

 

Image caption (above): L-R Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, Philip Sharp, Director and co-owner of Bradford Bulls and Patrick Nyarko, Bradford Council Youth Service.