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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seperate = separate
Zbyszek @ 19:13
Sorry to butt in but I’ve already had to contact Paul67 about comments that were racist.
He deleted them.
antonsleftfoot says:
22 November, 2011 at 19:29
Out of order Mate on a Celtic and family site…mini Starry is often reading over her Da’s shoulder..
Evening bhoys, cool, but sure is hun free.
Is our newest recrute in line for a call up tomorrow ?
starrry – family site?!
the fantasies continue!
i hope you don’t take mini you to the park on saturdays.
Just listening to Clyde thinking how easy it is for the press to demonise groups in our society.
They’re talking about the GB and the assumption is that all right thinking people share in their consensus that the GB is the moral equivalent of Al Qaeda.
Meanwhile we had that mass demonstration of hatred and anti-Catholic vitriol at the LCF only for those responsible to earn the praise of a government minister.
And not a cheep from the Scottish press.
Sadly, I get the feeling that we ain’t seen nothing yet.
Lhads,
Surely this is Paul67’s sight, if anything was said that was that bad they would no longer be able to post on here?
@antonsleftfoot- I know you posted as a laugh, but i was pulled up for far worse the other day. When it was pointed out who looks at this site i learned the error of my ways. Hope you do the same.
antonsleftfoot says:
22 November, 2011 at 19:38
Argue your point if you like but this site was always known as a non swearing and well written part of the Celtic world that’s the attraction!!
2 r’s in Starry by the way..
antonsleftfoot says:
22 November, 2011 at 19:38
The guy pointed it out to you in the nicest possible way. Take a telling.
Just lo.ged on and started reading back,antonsleftoot surely you have better ways to express yourself than the way you have,
antonsleftfoot
I had a child looking over my shoulder too when I reached your post. Very disappointing. Whether you like it or not, CQN has rules.
Man Utd 1 down at home to Benfica.
Barrach Obampot
Good. The best possible way to solve the problem.
Zbyszek, I appreciate your defence of the indefensible. It demonstrates the decency that we associate with you.
HOWEVAH….
Isn’t it strange that I post as follows…………
‘ Why does this forum respond in any way to a racist, fascist, lying , hypocritical, war-mongering, Zionist mouthpiece ?
Are we really so THICK ? ‘
You, & everyone else, knows exactly to whom I am referring.
Is that not quite revealing ?
So the hunz won their 9 in a row by cheating, therefore does that mean the hsitory books have to be changed and thus presenting the trophy and all other cups won in that era to Celtic or maybe Dundee Utd, Hertz etc who may hve been in a final or two.
Recently in the NCAA sports here in the US. Reggie Bush a QB with Miami was given an MVP award but later this was withdrawn as it was alleged he was given payments by sponsors therefore breaking rules of Collegiate Sports. Hunz have broken rules, and thus deviated in every way possible to attain success, therefore this constitutes illegal means. Will all cups won during this period be returned and history re-written? ……………eh probably not!! hail hail
OMG, all this over the phrase that antonsleftfoot used.
You hear worse BBC1 at 8pm and in the playgrounds every day and night and I have no doubt they have heard a lot worse in 99% of the households represented on this site.
He never swore…..a bit over descriptive and he could have used many other phrases, but enough already. If your kids are as innocent as you like to think, then your answer to the question of “Daddy what does that mean?” is “Nothing to worry about wee yin, just some numpty posting rubbish” would work just fine.
I think it’s great that the SPhelL have ensured that Celtic and TFOD finish in the top 6,
I mean they would have done something like this when Celtic where on the brink in the 90’s…………….Well they had a couple of hours and I KNOW they would have done something like this to ensure our survival as well…….Honest
AsylumsrusCSC
Zbyszek
Absolutely.
:-)
HH
antonsleftfoot,
do you agree rangers are responsible for undermining soldiers currently serving overseas
MaccyJohn
Wrong the rules have been there since inception.
If anyone can’t abide by them they shouldn’t post.
MaccyJohn,
So when/where do we draw the line?
When we have a cesspit like FF..?
antonsleftfoot says:
22 November, 2011 at 19:29
I don’t have a child looking over my shoulder, but I come on here to hear reasoned debate amongst Celtic fans. I don’t need to read rubbish like that.
Another howler in a big game from Joe Hart puts Napoli 1 up against the Abu Dhabi XI
MaccyJohn says:
22 November, 2011 at 19:57
Oh dear…woodwork squeaks and out come the freaks…
Citeh go one down. Napoli lookin pretty tasty goin forward
Real 4 up.
Forza Napoli…
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire says:
22 November, 2011 at 20:02
antonsleftfoot,
do you agree rangers are responsible for undermining soldiers currently serving overseas
_________________________________________________________________________
I’ve seen you posting this for a while, and tried to stay out it but enough is enough.
My best friend is serving his second spell in Afghan, and for you to state that what they have not paid in tax would have helped, or as you put, stopped undermiming soldiers, is way off the mark. I urge you to google how much has been cut from the defence budget over the past couple of years, that tells you who is to blame for undermiming soldiers.
If you were to discuss how many schools in the West of Scotland the money could have built, i would be with you. Think closer to home, army cuts & rangers have nothing to do with each other.
Chicof on shortbread tonight with his usual strangled efforts at any
semblance of univeraslly accepted standards is at least consistent in
the jabba school of Brutish Broadcasting Condescension.
As a disciple and proven gimp of the fatman, whose backdoor workings
the Entire shortbread sports dept. is legendary, wee chico obviously was
obviously minded his master’s voiced input at half time on Saturday when
Gordhun got all excited about the fabulous prospect of an Irishy named ref.
overturning his redcard decision with the agreeement of the Celtic manager
to ensure the resumption of fair play and all that jazz.
In order to fully jerk the Orc chains the ‘ O’Reilly’ name-bait was for emphasis
liberally tossed and flaunted as a sacrifice to their big pal Tel, lest his crazy
ravings be exposed as the unacceptable true state of Orcdom.
Wee innocent chico along with the jabba puppet Mchuntyre continued the lie
in desperate pleadings to change the disciplinary panel and influence their
decision before they have met and cast further aspersions on
anything that might detract from the distorted jabba his delusions of grandeur,
the subservience of the Green Brigade and by extension…all of us Tims.
Feck him.
HH
Abu Dhabi XI equalise after Napoli defend like our own defence did for much of September + October
Chicof=Chick, Not Chekov!
angelfc67,
“I urge you to google how much has been cut from the defence budget over the past couple of years, that tells you who is to blame for undermiming soldiers.”
I dont need to google it, not paying taxes is responsibe.
you people just cant help outing yourselve can you
scroll on hun
RanchoFranco says:
22 November, 2011 at 20:16
They can’t can stamp their wee orc feet and scream their wee orc screams but as the world has turned and moved on the fact remains :
ICT 0 Celtic 2
Get over it Chocof!!
A question that to me seems important
If Ragers go bust ie liquidated, I was under the impression the players registrations go to the SFA therefore why would newco get these players registrations?
Surely this cannot happen automatically and surely the players are free agents meaning anyone could sign them Arsenal for mcgoogle for example?
Also why does everyone assume that newco could assume the points of Old company minus 10 points as this to me would indicate that they are all but the same team and therefore would HMRC not be entiletled to go for the assets of Newco?
I heard Big Tel’ is not even going to contest the red card.
Hmmmmmm. Wonder why.
hahaha brilliant. Thought this was a blog to discuss things? You asked a question, i answered and you throw the insults.
Click the icon at the beginning of my name (the f you cant miss it), and check if i’m a hun.
Thanks for the fabulous discussion.
Seems like someone in G81 has come off his anti-psychotics ?
(To the tune of “All Fools and Horses”).
You can stick your CCTV, Police State, wheelie bin Stasi, DNA, WMD, “Social Cohesion”, benefits for all, guilty until proven innocent, don’t do that it’s illegal now, can’t say that, ID cards for all, where are you going, what have you been saying/doing/reading, can’t photograph that, how very dare you, golliwog banning, we know where you live, we’re watching you Soviet Utopia up your *rse. Sideways.
And do something about all those bottles and bottles and bottles of your own urine that you keep tripping over….
Oh,and 88 (in morse code)…just because you’re special !
… dont do face book
as I said scroll on hun