Following the recent announcement from the Rugby Football League (RFL) that they are accepting applications for a 36th franchise in the game’s professional ranks, the Tigers are excited to announce that we have lodged an official expression of interest!

With a proposed restructure of the professional leagues the RFL are looking to have three tiers of 12 teams from next year. Super League, Championship and League 1.

The new “franchise” club will become the 12th team in the Betfred League 1 competition for 2025.

We are fully aware that this will come with some significant challenges, and it won’t be a decision that we will make lightly. There is a history of so-called Expansion Teams failing in recent years and we will need to be diligent to the task, ensuring that we are confident that we can be sustainable both on and off the field.

The club now has 20 years of established history in the area proudly delivering rugby league to all ages, genders and abilities.

We have worked tirelessly since Covid to ensure that we are well placed for this with the club boasting Women’s and Wheelchair sides in their respective Championship competitions as well.

We formed a Charitable Foundation in 2023 which is establishing itself and delivering small projects as it builds. These are all key components for our bid.

There are four other well established community rugby league clubs within a 40-mile radius and countless rugby union outlets at all levels which would provide an important local talent pool. There are also several players in the area having already played League 1 and Championship rugby league for London Skolars, Hemel Stags, Coventry Bears and London Broncos among other clubs.

Following a dry run of the IMG grading criteria we have a score of 3.5 which puts us on a pretty sure footing within that system and just 1.57 behind North Wales Crusaders. That is without factoring in points for attendance, league placement and accounts. None of which we can do yet!

These things alone, however, will not be enough to ensure sustainability. We are in talks with several parties at the moment surrounding club structure and governance, financial investment, training and playing facilities and other partnerships. We have recruited former Super League and League 1 experience to tap into at administrative and performance levels for this project as well as working relationships with both the University of Bedfordshire and Cambridge University.

Our task now is to make all the pieces fit.

Bedford has a strong rugby culture and already has a professional rugby presence in the town thanks to the incredible work done by the Bedford Blues who play in the RFU Championship. Through the Blues, Bedford is no stranger to big names from the world of Rugby League either with Martin Offiah enjoying a short spell here. Jack Hughes, son of London Broncos’ owner David Hughes also played a stint here before joining the Super League outfit.

The town has a population of over 185,000 and with no other professional rugby league club until you get to Birmingham or South London, the uncontested reach for a fan base spreads much farther than the borders of the borough!

Bedford is also well placed geographically being sat within touching distance between both the M1 and A1 motorways as well as on the Midland Mainline linking the town from London to the M62.

We have always been an ambitious club, and this has been the aim of the Tigers for a number of years now. We have supported the growth of the sport not only in Bedford but in the surrounding areas and regionally as well. There are some incredibly passionate rugby league people here. More than those in more traditional areas might appreciate.

This would be an exciting move for the club, the region and the sport as a whole.