HBC considering DCBL Stadium - Widnes Vikings

RE: HBC considering DCBL Stadium

Viking32 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 21:33:14 +0000

@gpo1971

“Halton Council also occupies office space within the building. One option to be considered is whether the stadium could become the authority’s administrative headquarters. Earlier this year, the council announced plans to relocate many of its functions from the Municipal Building in Widnes, knock it down, and sell the site, in an effort to cut costs and raise revenue.”

https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/cash-strapped-halton-could-sell-dcbl-stadium/

RE: HBC considering DCBL Stadium

Frankg — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:08:05 +0000

Halton is in the same financial position as many other councils and will be looking at all its assets in a fire sale to fund spending. Whether it needs to sell Naughton Park to fund the re-opening of Ditton Junction - probably a regional project with central funding, rather than a locally funded project - or to pay for social care, is a choice the Council will make.

The Council also has a duty to provide Community facilities and to maintain the heritage of the area. A thriving rugby league team could bring many benefits for the town, in promoting the area and interest in both watching and participating in sport.

We will have to see what happens, but my view is that Naughton Park should be retained for community use, possibly incorporating Council Offices, with the Club managing the sports facility and meeting more of the running costs.

There are a lot of ifs, buts and maybe's, but I am sure that the loss of the ground will see the end of professional rugby league in the town in my view, but I am also sure that the RFL simply don't care.

RE: HBC considering DCBL Stadium

7 Vikingnomad — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:54:04 +0000

Let’s get realistic on this

we have no funds to buy the stadium

it is too big for our current crowds - and even for the foreseeable future

without a benefactor we are in shit street

but stupid as I am I will continue to support my club

RE: HBC considering DCBL Stadium

JOHNNY65 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:11:40 +0000

@frankg what part of the council is broke and needs to sell the ground don't you not understand??

They are trying to raise cash to re open Ditton station.

RE: HBC considering DCBL Stadium

Frankg — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:59:16 +0000

If the Club has any ambition to get to SL, it must work with the Council to retain Naughton Park as a sports venue for the town. Perhaps it will have to pay more for the use of the ground and offer to pay more of the cost in exchange for more flexibility on its use on match days. We would need to get a benefactor to help us out I guess, but there must be some local business people around who want to ensure the future of the game in the town. This would be a better option than thinking about building a new ground somewhere in or even outside the town, which in my view is a non-starter.

My concern is that the RFL will be quite happy to see the Championship teams go to the wall, with little or no central funding and access to SL closed once London are promoted.

As a matter of interest, would any other so called professional sport go into a season with no idea about the fixture list until the last minute and presumably, no plan as to how the play-offs will work, never mind what is happening in 2027.

I am totally confused (easy for me these days!!) about the so called salary cap for the Championship. A bit late, after seeing several clubs in financial trouble and more to follow. Have they thought about how the SL Clubs like Huddersfield. Leigh and others will survive once the rich benefactors walk away? Is it just another way of telling Championship Clubs that any funding from Sky will be needed by SL for it expansion plans in Las Vegas, New York, Canada, Europe etc etc and they will have to cut their cloth accordingly.

RE: HBC considering DCBL Stadium

PaulieWalnuts — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:38:36 +0000

https://x.com/Salford_RLFC/status/2042528121102926269

RE: HBC considering DCBL Stadium

Farnworth Viking — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:14:41 +0000

@vikingfox71 But at the same time, Salford have announced they have got 5 good players 3 from Warrington and 2 from Oldham on loan.
I presume they mustn’t be paying these players clubs much in loan fees and players wages.

RE: HBC considering DCBL Stadium

Torn Sock 1 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:07:09 +0000

I think it's hilarious that people on here think that if they were magically gifted the stadium (Which they shouldn't be) that selling a few pies or gym memberships would make WV a load of money.

It's a stadium of age that will need constant repairs, and a part time sports team aren't going to be able to keep up with running costs, even with some more fans, other teams playing there, and some other revenue streams.

Surprised it's taken this long to be honest if they've been getting cheap rent.

RE: HBC considering DCBL Stadium

gpo1971 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:32:49 +0000

@torn-sock-1 Salford council just announced they are doing the same to try and get rid of taxpayers burden subsidising salfords stadium

councils obviously cutting cloth and part time rugby doesn't pay 💰 rfl either help now with finances or let the championship go

The MEN says that Salford council is losing £1.6m a year owning that ground. They paid £7.7m for it (and a load of land) in 2024. They can't sell it until 2028 due to contracts.

RE: HBC considering DCBL Stadium

Vikingfox71 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:19:42 +0000

@torn-sock-1 Salford council just announced they are doing the same to try and get rid of taxpayers burden subsidising salfords stadium

councils obviously cutting cloth and part time rugby doesn't pay 💰 rfl either help now with finances or let the championship go