Congratulations to SPL chief executive, Neil Doncaster, who delivered a remarkable increase in the league’s TV deal with Sky and ESPN; £80m for five years until 2017. The one concession he had to trade, was the possibility that he had to subjugate the link between sporting meritocracy and the commercial imperative.
When news of the deal broke yesterday a Rangers fan was quick to suggest that Sky and ESPN would not have bid on such terms if they had any doubt Rangers would survive in the league, however, later details emerged to prove the exact opposite. The entire deal is dependent on a clause assuring Celtic play Rangers four times each season. If Rangers were eliminated from the league, or even if they failed to earn enough points after an administration penalty to finish in the top six after 33 games, the TV deal becomes invalid.
While this clause was crucial in Doncaster getting his deal it does nothing for the sporting integrity of the competition. It has been five years since Rangers finished outside the top two in the league but if they go into administration, or worse, a fire sale of assets and a point deduction is likely.
The league has now introduced a contractual ceiling on whatever penalty would be applied to a financially deviant club, irrespective of the offense. Doncaster will now also set off to find a sponsor to replace Clydesdale Bank, promising the TV exposure his deal with Sky and ESPN provides. By extension, not only will TV income be dependent on four Celtic-Rangers games per season, so too will league sponsorship income.
Can you imagine the goings-on if Rangers enter next season in administration, with a 10-point deduction and a skeleton squad? Beating Rangers, making it less likely for them to reach the top six, could cost each team in the league millions. Clubs have a clear incentive to ensure Rangers are in no danger of finishing outside the top six.
Neil Doncaster, who is likely to be financially incentivised to deliver TV money, is a member of the SPL board who would decide whether or not to admit a prepack company into the league in the event of an existing club failure. His partiality would be compromised by this deal, so too would other board members from clubs without the liquidity to cope without TV or sponsor income.
While TV broadcasters have a clear financial incentive to lobby for whatever it takes to keep Rangers buoyant, the financial incentives will touch everyone with their snout in the trough, and that includes non-TV media and referees.
This is a dreadful deal as it inserts a clause which compromises the sporting integrity of the competition. Can you imagine giving the team talk to a club, safe from relegation, about to face a Rangers team needing a win on game 33? What about the referee who makes a mistake in Rangers favour, late in the season, under similar circumstances? How would Sky, ESPN and others frame the debate in the event of Rangers going into administration?
I can understand why Sky and ESPN want clause, but the rest of us might as well chuck it.
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Kayal 33- Another player to add to the collection mate, as P Ducky said, buying a player for a specific position does not happen anymore.
utilityplayersruscsc
Seven Fishes:
Glad you’re liking it mate, and good to know Auldheid is enjoying it too.
I agree with you on Season 4. The very best television I’ve ever watched. Unsurpassed genius from first episode to last.
There were no false notes. Not one single moment which did not pay off somewhere down the line. And some of those moments … haha.
I always said Tony Soprano was the most fully realised television creation of all time, and that is saying something in company which includes Vic Mackey, Stringer Bell, Jimmy McNulty, Josiah Bartlett, Michael Schofield and both Tommy and Michael Caffey. (The Shield, The Wire, The West Wing, Prison Break and Brotherhood respectively).
But Walter White eclipses them all. A family man. A good man. A hard working, consciencious and decent human being. A man who’s son describes him in such glowing terms at a crucial juncture in Season 2 that he breaks down crying because he knows that even by that point he’s not that man anymore … and he gets worse.
There has never been a TV character more wholly rounded. As you’ll attest mate, in the dinner party scene you watched recently, that’s a man so consumed with his own idea of who he is that he is completely blind to the many realities about who he is. It never feels anything but real, and consistent.
RATM says:
22 November, 2011 at 15:50
Long time no post! New job, house move makes for lurking only! Just wondering if any guys on here are thinking about travelling up for the game against Peterhead? I will be working in that neck of the woods the week of the game and wondered if anyone fancied a pint?
—————————-
RATM are you;
A – Fisherman
B – Prison Warden
C – Prisoner
D – Contractor at St Fergus
—-
Has Big Ron Ferrari still got the Hotel?
Is Mars Bar Mag’s still going about?
Paddy T
Paul67
There must be more to this story than has been made public.
There is noway the SPL can guarantee 4 games vs the TFOD than they can guarantee any other result before the season starts.
The split and relegation have to be the same for all 12 teams.
I fear we have a moveable feast on this contract –
X for 4 OF games.
X – Y if there are none.
If the TFOD are in no fit state to cope with the SPL, what price a GC with home and away legs? The only question would be the eligibility of Clyde now that they have moved to G68.
Finally any thoughts on the end game for the TFOD?
Creditors agreement and the existing management get themselves out of administration and everything is hunky dory?
No creditors agreement and the administrator has to sell them on –
Good result – Sold in their entirity – back to square one with TFOD 2012?
Bad result – Sold piecemeal – train wreck / bottom feeders delight?
Somebody buys the stadium and starts up a new team.
Somebody buys the name and rents a stadium.
Cue some top quality blue on blue action?
Who should we “hate” – the name or the stadium?
Just finished Breaking Bad last night.
Unbelievable tv.
WalterWhiteCSC
DBBIA –
Prepare for a wee Rowie Cross food parcel on Saturday.
Time to go home.
Laters . . . .
Cyrul
KevJungle – Put the Green Brigade into a new JUNGLE says:
22 November, 2011 at 10:16
Paul 67
We’ve sold our soul to the DEVIL’S……
From previous thread…….
I think that the board/CEO/absentee-landlord and, all the rest of the faceless wonders who constitute the hierarchy at CP have, indicated that they are, already thinking ahead given that they are investigating the introduction of, standing areas.
The hierarchy know full well that, when the genie is out of the bottle about, the hierarchie’s collusion with the huns and, the possibility of….the hierarchie’s presidance over 4 iar for the huns then the SB gimmick will bite the dust once and for all!
This would leave an embarassing amount of empty seats in the, lower level of the stadium hence the hierarchies drive for terracings at, probably £10 a skull and, a possible drive for player wage-capping to be next on the agenda ?
Hail! Hail!
Hail Hail KEVJUNGLE
I agree with your sentiment that this idea is dead in the water, ofcourse a lot of fans would like to have the old jungle atmosphere again which was amazing but sadly it’ wont’ get any further than talk talk.
On the last comment wage-capping would be a great idea, considering there is a recession all over the world at the moment, and players are earning far too much and providing very little in return. The fans are the ones who pay there wages, yet they are the ones who suffer most by watching inept performances from players earning more in a week or month than some people earn in a year! IT should be put in perspective raise your game before you raise your wages. Agents are the curse of all sports, they have ruined the game period! Money grabbing bassas! fekem hail hail
cavansam \o/ says:
22 November, 2011 at 15:56
Sorry bud I’ve not put my point across as well as I would have liked it seems. I agree with what you are saying. If rangers go bust they should be starting from the bottom and work their way up again…. (would I still be for that if it took Celtic down with them though?… would have to think about that)… What I was saying is that Doncaster has to get the best deal thats available on the table now. What we do when they go bust is a different matter… the deal can be broken and a new one thrashed out … the clause is a get out for Sky etc and they wont play ball without it… for obvious reasons.
Right bhoys – a couple of us up for the game on Saturday and not staying with family for a change as I’m meeting a couple of mates over from Dublin. I am looking for a reasonable hotel (twin room) for Sat night somewhere near centre of Glasgow. Any suggestions??
It seems very busy at first glance and not much availability at a reasonable cost.
cheers.
Sir Kojo.
Yer Uncle Moishe…he was the one that was President of Tanganyika,back in the day ???
Am I right,or am I right ?
Keep scoffing thae Buttermilk Dainties to take awah the Sou-rrrness !
Uhuru,Uhuru,Uhuru,Uhuru !
Yer Pal,who thinks you’re just as classy as Sir Sidney Devine….
Ayrshire-
Woodgrove Bar,Clansman,Fannys,the Short Stop,the Dean Park,Moses Well and anywhere off the Western Road.
Oh and plenty of Tims.
What’s no to like?
James, liking it? That’s an understatement! 3 more to go so hopefully have it finished in a few days!
Normally I would be looking forward to tonight. What match will I watch? City or Utd? But that pales into insignificance where BB is concerned. After last nights episode, Salud, I was awe struck, I’m still buzzing thinking about it!
GusFringCSC
SffS
Spearman
“(would I still be for that if it took Celtic down with them though?… would have to think about that)”
That’s the crux of the matter, if the Gers go to Div 3 we would all have to do our level best to ensure Celtic survive in a Hunless SPL.
If we approve a life support system for the Gers wherby they can never be relegated (hell never finish below 6th) in the new Obviously Bent SPL then we are going to lose supporters me included and Celtic might go down anyway. Personally I’d prefer the first option where our loyalty to the club would be more valued then a flipping TV deal.
So which will be bigger the loss of income from no SKY and no Huns or the loss in income from no supporters?
….PFayr at 15:59
The figures don’t include viewing figures for one of Rangers games against St Mirren on ESPN as figures weren’t available but its unlikely to increase their average substantially.
There are also no figures for our final home game against Motherwell as I think it was on red button behind Rangers game so the figures of 308,000 for that Rangers game have probably also skewed the figures. If anything our average is probably higher, and theirs slightly lower.
I have uploaded the raw data if anyone is interested:
Scottish Football Viewing figures 2010/11
Mort
CentenaryBhoy
And all Breaking Bad fans
There is a final season to come next Summer
Take the Hun. Leave the Cannoli…
It’s just business….
Skullduggery, duplicity and subterfuge….
You could stir it wae a stick.
MoonbeamsWD
I believe the Celtic Board are aware of the feelings of supporters on this and other Celtic blogs.
However, until the Club make a statement about where they stand re the huns going under and the new tv deal, I think we should support them.
Too many “supporters” on here spit the dummy for any reason at all.
I am prepared to wait and see what the board say.
Then I will consider my options.
Hope you are well!
Paddy T
Eh, none of the above!!! Work with computers and have a big job with a new call centre near Elgin around that time, I’m Glasgow born and bred so I have no idea as to the answer to the questions!
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo says:
22 November, 2011 at 13:58
If our identity is to be shifted from being Celtic fans believing in fairness and justice for all to that of living our lives as the perpetual pantomime victim and paying heavily through the nose for that abuse so that the baby´s identity is compromised but not the value of his share in Celtic then the Scottish game for me is a bogey.
Couldn’t have put it better myself. Scottish football faces its biggest ever crisis and due to the RFC preservation society, the rest are being dragged into the abyss. God knows how it’ll affect us but it doesnt look good. And all to protect an establishment so malignant in many ways. If what we read comes to pass, we really are about to witness Scotland’s real shame in action.
hh
MWD
Apologies, I did not mean that you spat the dummy!!
Re the tv deal
I
Re the tv deal
I think Doncaster said that their was not an unanimous vote for the new deal only a majority .
I wonder who voted against a 24% increase in a tv deal in this climate .HOW MANY AND WHY ?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
hail hail
cavansam \o/ says:
22 November, 2011 at 16:28
Its not support for a system where we can’t be in the lower 6…. (IMO) its a get out clause for Sky so they can re-do the deal if that happens.
5 draws with Paddy Power
CSKA Moscow V Lille
Napoli V Man City
Man Utd V Benfica
Lyon V Ajax
Trabzonspor V Inter Milan
4573 back for a 10 pound bet,
2286 back for a 5 pound bet,
1372 back for a 3 pound bet,
914 back for a 2 pound bet,
457 back for a 1 pound bet,
Surely worth a 1 pound bet bhoys, Good return to go towards the Festive season. HH
I don`t know where I was when the Scottish Cup draw was made but the mentions of Peterhead caused me to look up the fixtures. To my horror, I discovered that Arbroath host Rangers!! Think I might spend the day somewhere else. The good thing is that some decent people here who favour Rangers will get to see what they are like in the flesh. Should be enough to dampen their enthusiasm for the Huns of Darkness. Unfortunately, I have a bright , green car. Better park that somewhere else that day as well!
JJ
tomtheleedstim says:
22 November, 2011 at 16:20
Babbity Bowsers £60 for the room.
I gotta go. bye for now
Free Glen Daly
From what I can gather from the various news sources it appears there is little change in the new Sky/ESPN television deal with the SPL, so why all the doom and gloom?
The only difference in the equation this year is the perilous state of Rangers and the possible repercussions that this may have in terms of the contractual 4 games between Celtic and Rangers. Somewhere along the way some believe the board have been complicit in offering Rangers a get-out clause in the new deal but for the life of me I can’t find any facts that would substantiate such a claim.
The usual board bashing has occurred and it is now becoming a little comical to see how some are manipulating the agenda in order to get on their sole hobby horse.
Paul67’s leader highlights some possible scenarios but there is nothing significantly different from previous seasons – Rangers get the breaks in Scotland, they always do.
In my view nothing has changed and the target remains constant, we have to win the SPL this year and leave all the conspiracy theories to the vanquished.
Spearman says:
22 November, 2011 at 16:42
To be honest I would have been surprised if SKY/ESPN did not put a clause in the contract considering the ragers financial situation .Who do you think the club/clubs were that voted against the deal and why .
hail hail
Is this the start of the sell everything that ain’t nailed down in support of the huns…
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/a-loyalist-sash/91981155
Milan Badelj
Mathias Jorgensen
Markus Rosenborg
Markus Henriksen
Daniel Wass
Take a look Celtic !!
tomtheleedstim says:
22 November, 2011 at 16:20
the Malmaison is doing twin rooms for £99 which includes dinner for two.
Don’t think they are advertising it so you will need to ask.
Abode you will get for £80 if you push them.
don’t go to babbity bowsers it is not suitable.
Any problems let me know.
Paddy G – cheers mate. Just got in to the Radisson but paid £140 (£70 each b n b) through Alpharooms even though the Radisson was showing full on its own site ??
Will save your place for next time.
Thanks again.
Mervan Celik another one plus Karl-Johan Johnsson (goalkeeper)
WDH – my timing is like Sebo’s.
Thanks anyway mate.
Taranis says:
22 November, 2011 at 16:55
‘…march with my fellow loyalist.’
haha, popular band that one.
tomtheleedstim says:
22 November, 2011 at 17:03
that is a ridiculous amount to pay
cancel it and phone the abode or malmaison
Never believe what the websites say.
A good friend of CQN will be in Abode