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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THE EXILED TIM says:
22 November, 2011 at 21:04
He played in a bounce game against a strong ratners 11 in october and showed up well, my guess is he’ll make the bench and if all goes to plan may get half an hour.
HH
hamiltontim says:
22 November, 2011 at 21:05
Might have picked Lenny up wrong( with a a house full of women and children) I’m sure he said the would possibly be in contention for the weekend..
Hx2
De nada Amigo..
goldstar10 says:
22 November, 2011 at 21:02
No – Aileen Campbell, Clyde valley
No deviation from the stock political reply obviously
Starry
Likewise lol :)
We won’t have long to wait!
hamiltontim says:
22 November, 2011 at 21:13
I love a midweek game, weans in bed, a cheeky wee red, Celtic, it doesn’t get any better..
BStarksTH Supporting the Supporters says:
22 November, 2011 at 20:54
Interesting reading.
I wonder, does this mean that say someone arrested, charged, cautioned (admission of guilt) or tried and found guilty of a crime 6 years ago is caught commiting the same or similar crime this year then the local constabulary will not be able to trace his previous?
Hmmmmmmmmm
BStarksTH
Get your MSP to go here and ask if they have the data;
spsa
HH
Starry
Don’t mean to make you jealous but that’s a runner up to actually being there :)
Nevertheless, you enjoy buddy.
This from stv
Andre Blackman eager to impress at Celtic
The left-back says his early career experiences will stand him in good stead as he tries to break into Neil Lennon’s first team.
22 November 2011 11:23 GMT
Andre Blackman featured in development games for Celtic while on trial, impressing enough to win a deal.
Andre Blackman has promised to excite Celtic fans with his attacking play from the back, if he is given the chance to break into the first team.
The 21-year-old left back has joined the Glasgow club until the end of the season, following a successful trial spell.
The former Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur trainee joins on a free transfer having left AFC Wimbledon early in the year and believes his experience with some of England’s top clubs will stand him in good stead heading to Scotland.
“I’m a left-back who likes to attack,” he told the Celtic View. “I love getting forward and I just enjoy playing football. When I’m playing regularly and everything is going well for me then you will see the best of me.”
“It has given me a good footballing lesson being at clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea. They have really helped me in my short career and I hope I can bring whatever I learned from there to Celtic.
Blackman has been tipped for great things by previous coaches, with many claiming he has the raw potential to forge a future career in England’s top flight.
Off-field controversy seemed to follow the player however, but the player says he is determined to make the most of his chance in Glasgow.
“This is a very big club and I’m just happy to be here,” he said. “I want to work hard and hopefully it will work out for me.
“I knew all about Celtic. It’s a massive club and there’s a really good set-up here, the facilities are amazing.
“Everyone has really helped me, given me advice and told me what I need to work on. They’ve made me feel welcome and haven’t pressured me at all. They’ve told me to settle down and enjoy it just now.”
wwc,
quality post my friend :o)
its the only question they will never admit to, their hypocracy marks them:oD
see a lot of quizzlings splitting the hairs, had enough
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire says:
22 November, 2011 at 21:07
Indeed. That was why I am annoyed that she didn’t actually ask the questions about data – even if she disagrees with my concerns overall
hamiltontim says:
22 November, 2011 at 21:17
I’m green Mate, I’m green through and through!!!
What lassies dealing cards ?
Angel67
do not, under any circumstances, agree with me
them varmit clique ones’ll get ya ;-)
HH
M
THE EXILED TIM says:
22 November, 2011 at 21:19
What lassies dealing cards ?
share
Play your cards rhight – good game – good game!
Starry
Good enough for me mate.
Hail Hail
Celtic playing the huns in America would do absolutely nothing FOR us.
It would intrinsincly link us with them – would weld the 2 clubs together, and confirm the ‘Old Firm’ Brand for a generation.
All for the sake of a few quid.
.
.
.
.
Rangers playing us in Amercia would be a lifeline to them.
It would intrinsicly link them with a worldwide phenomenon.
It would paint them in a more favourable light in light of them rioting everywhere they have been, and gain them increased exposure.
All that for the sake of some much needed, valuable and life support saving quid.
Coming a month or so after his rousing defence of all his paymasters, Lennon being in favour of the showcase Glasgow Celtic prostitution event, is showing how far removed from ‘one of us’ and into ‘one of the board rooms men’ he is becoming.
BStarksTH..,
ask her to respond with the information requested, she has a duty to represent you, no ?
gallagher
Thanks for that, I hope it works out for the young fella and us obviously,
saltires en sevilla says:
22 November, 2011 at 21:20
Angel67
do not, under any circumstances, agree with me
them varmit clique ones’ll get ya ;-)
HH
M
___________________________________________
I need to start taking notes.
Bluff-double bluff, my head hurts :0
Whitedog
Logical when you think about it. They can’t say that they are willing to take a wee penalty such as ten points but that they basically want Rangers’ points because the next morning HMRC will phone them and say, ‘In that case, here is Rangers’ tax bill.’
You are right but I don’t know where is the reference to the conclusion of my post? I’m not the Jew and don’t speak from that position but… When I saw fascist and Zionist as description of the person I thought about German fascism and Zionists whose only dream was to live in Israel together, in one community. I also told about anti-Semitic campaign “Zionists to Zion”. I should probably ask the Jew and hear the confirmation that Fascist and Zionist are right words to describe bad person and they can stand in one phrase because are equal.
I give up.
As the protest I decided not to go to Bobbity Bowsters before next Celtic game. You won’t see me there tomorrow. Will revise my decision not earlier than on Thursday.
EWO
What did Lenny say regarding a game against them abroad?
My post was reply to ernie lynch.
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire says:
22 November, 2011 at 21:22
BStarksTH..,
ask her to respond with the information requested, she has a duty to represent you, no ?
———————-
Yep
TET
You’re welcome, i too hope it works out, i like the hungry fighters in the ranks.
HH
When you look at the goals in the City and United CL games tonight, it’s heartening to realise that, even at that level, defences can look positively amateurish.
Forster
Mat, Vic, Dan, Andre
McCourt, Kayal, Ledely, Samaras
Hooper Stokes
Zbyszek says:
22 November, 2011 at 21:27
I know my brain is in drink mode, but your last post proves Mrs G right – I haven’t a clue????
canamalar
I wouldn’t be unhappy with that team, if fact I would be delighted.
Just in from work……haven’t read back, but read Paul’s article
Let me get this straight…….Sky / SPL have entered into a contract with the SFA / SPL and will be able to cancel it if Celtic don’t play the current buns 4 times next season………..that is unbelievable…!!!
I can understand that the SPL / SFA would have to agree to ANYTHING to ensure some money comes into the Scottish game which, thanks to the excesses of rankers (EBTs etc) over the past 20 years, is now in dire finacial straites, BUT FIFA / UEFA need to look at this……
FOOTBALL IS A SPORT where the result of games must not be allowed to be influenced by restrictions / clauses in sponsorships
In order to protect the sponsorship money, the SFA / SPL, and the provincial teams will now have to ensure , not only that whyte FC get into the SPL next season, but also that they finish in the top 6……….unlike the past 3 seasons, where they weren’t FORCED to ensure rankers won the league (for the CL money to keep them ‘alive’, they are being forced to make decisions for next season…………..it cannot, and must not be allowed to happen if we are to protect the SPORTING objective of FOOTBALL…….
FIFA / UEFA must now step in to protect the interests of THE SPORT THEY ARE CUSTODIANS OF……
…and one more point, what are our Board doing ‘signing on’ to this ?…..it goes against the whole ethos of the club, and for what…circa £6m over 5 years……..Brother Walfrid will be turning in his grave….if FIFA / UEFA don’t ‘step in’ here, then we ‘step out’ …………Don’t do this to us, Celtic Board……..put up the price of the season tickets next year to cover the circa £1m shortfall, and tell ‘them’ we are anxious to retain our SPORTING INTERGRITY which, unlike others, we have done since 1888….
I WILL NOT BE RENEWING MY SEASON TICKET FOR 5 SEASONS IF WE ACCEPT ONE PENNY OF THIS ‘CONDITIONAL’ SPONSORSHIP MONEY….(£7,500 OVER THE 5 YEARS)
I managed to cope with 3 seasons of our club being shafted, but this much worse…….this is totally unnacceptable…..
Hamilton Tim @ 21:28 …Regarding Lenny’s statement… see my post 3rd from bottom of page 11…</B
>
…
TET,
there would need particularly strange injury circumstances for that team I expect :o)
BStarksTH..,
keep up the good fight
hail hail
Taggart Guy
Your criminally poor attempts at agitation this sentient blog are
markedly poor even by the Laptop loyal pash poor score on the old
‘CQN’ wheel of infortune…..where the star prize is a box at Ipox and
as a bonus you get to pay upfront for five years.
Mr White and Sally guarantee a dignified seat at
any ground your choice should an event occur
outwith their dreamy status of new signings in
January and Jelly following big Tel into the SFA
Hall of shame for…err..Orcstuff.
Enjoy.
HH
PaddyG
Well this evening I hope.
Still can’t see any fit lassies dealing cards mind you :>)