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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Kitalba
I reckon that would be a tremendous caption competition starter
“If half the players in our squad had half the bottle of Scott Brown……….”
Fill in the rest and win a CQN Christmas prize.
How about
If half the players in our squad had half the bottle of Scott Brown and Scott Brown still had the other half, my money would be on Scott Brown to kick their ass, unless the half of the squad that had the other half included wee Izzy who’s a bit mental.
player who should have been let go cost us because there was the possibility we could get 3 bob back.
SoT
I agree. It’s an interesting group, and all perms are still possible.
I think Lenny has done well in the competition, and but for a ridiculous injury time penalty at home Vs Udinese, we’d be top of the group.
Let’s pump Atletico and see how it unfolds thereafter.
TBB
SRS
So you want to pay somebody £25k as back up?
Latest from Phil on Jelavic
Think he will be on his way in January.
Been great watching those old games, so thanks to all the posters. The thing that really strikes me is just how quickly Ronnie Simpson gets the ball back into play, never letting the tempo drop. What a pleasure to watch
If half the players in our squad had half the bottle of Scott Brown…
…half the fans would still be half empty types, and the other half, half full.
Halfin’aLaughCSC
Can GS being back in some capacity.
Wouldn’t mind him back. Reckon with the players in the squad just now think GS would offer great advice to Lenny.
steinreigns…,
on more than £20K a week and your taling about him improving, ffs heis one of the senior players the captain ffs, and he is improving under Lenny. Too late for me. He can go get petulant cards for another team thank you very much, I’d cut our losses at that.
Celtic have nuclues of a good young team if they could just strengthen and get a centre forward, midfield flair player, two centre halves and a goalie. 5 players
If we could bring in Gordon Strachan to be the press communication officer he should get better paid than Peter Lawwell.
Hail Hail
It would be a mistake to let Scott Brown go for nothing as he brings a little something to the team that we see very rarely (in fact, only in Kayal do we get glimpses of it).
1-0 down and needing someone to bring a bit of dig? Brown’s yer man for a red card.
1-0 and scrapping and needing someone to stamp their authority on midfield? Brown’s yer man for a short pass into the oppo’s strikeforce.
4-0 up and not really needing any more goals? Brown’s yer man for providing no more goals.
2-1 up and needing to shore up the defence? Brown’s yer man for bringing Rogne on for.
Did I miss anything?
Oh aye, he can hold his arms out wide in front of loathsome orcs.
WGS
Sounds like Celtic have loads of electrons, but need a nucleus….
One of the things that makes me wonder much is why we get so up tight when dicks in the media talk our club down when we ourselves do it ever so much better legitimately claiming it’s only my opinion.
i honestly believe somone like GS would revel having the likes of Ki, Ledley, Kayal, Waynama.
He buys two centre halves and a keeper with Lenny and a good centre forward, makings of a good team with stokes and hooper to add to the equaition.
Family ticket offer for home games
By: Newsroom Staff on 21 Nov, 2011 07:12
CELTIC will have a double-header at Celtic Park towards the end of this month, with Dunfermline the visitors this Wednesday, November 23, followed quickly by St Mirren on Saturday, November 26.
These are two vital SPL games for Neil Lennon’s side and the Celtic support will play an important role in hopefully helping the Hoops to victory.
And for these two games, there is a Family Ticket available, priced £33. This is for one adult and one juvenile, and is a saving of TEN POUNDS.
Tickets can be purchased ONLINE, by calling 0871 226 1888* or by visiting the Celtic Ticket Office.
Why not try our Print at Home Facility? Simply select Ticketfast at the checkout page and you will be sent your tickets by email. Avoid the queues – use Ticketfast today!
Tickets are also available in the following Celtic retail outlets: Argyle Street, Sauchiehall Street, Clydebank, Coatbridge, East Kilbride, Edinburgh, Inverness.
South Of Tunis says:
23 November, 2011 at 09:38
I take it then you don’t rate de Jong?
I know his style is a bit ‘industrial’ but i always thought he adds a lot to any team he plays for. The kind of player I would love to see at Celtic.
(Was still delighted to see napoli beating an english team last night though!)
‘If half the players in our squad had half the bottle of Scott Brown…’
Scott Brown would be left with only half the bottle he started with.
And, assuming a squad of 20, and each of them getting an equal share of the half bottle each player would have an additional 2.5% of bottle.
The only conclusion I can reach is that there’s a reason it’s called mental arithmetic.
I have a premonition about tonight…
If Philvis gets first on the podium today: we win 6-0 (Vic gets his first goal for us, Stokes gets a hat trick)
Philvis podium but not first: 0-0, NL, coat, peg, shoogly
Philvis failure: 0-1, bye bye Neil.
So, Philvis, Neil’s job depends on you!
coorslad is Neil Lennon says:
23 November, 2011 at 10:49
West Ham Broonie seems like a Big Sam type of player. £1m January, thank you and goodbye.
KITALBA @1026
I respect your point of view regards Broony and the only part I agree with is that he’s all heart, BUT, and it’s a big but, he has nothing else in his armoury. Nothing. You and I and most on this blog would give as much as him but really where would that get us.
In a similar way to you I was a huge fan of Wee Granty, who was CELTIC to the core and he tried his hardest, 100% each game. I thought he was ok but most fans did not like him but I tell you what he’s far far better than Broony IMO obviously.
On a different topic I’d like to see all Celtic fans being united in their support of the team and don’t see what’s so special about the Green Brigade. Surely we are all the Green Brigade. Divide and conquer beware.
4 – 0 to the good guys tonight
Hail Hail
KINGLuBO
kit,
we’re doing it because we support the team, and want the best, the meeja do it to unsettle, I think the difference is not lost on you surely ??
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire says:
23 November, 2011 at 10:59
I didn’t agree with that plan for Samaras. I never thought he was marketable. I think Scott Brown is.
He’s a player that for me that has always been hamstrung by his transfer fee, and that’s not his fault.
I’ve seen Kayal get lauded for making a curving run from one side of the pitch to the other, the whole time chasing and never anywhere near the ball. If that had been Scott Brown the cries of headless chicken would have been deafening.
So let’s have a wee look at their relative league stats from last season
Brown Played (inc subs) 28: 6 yellow cards : 1 red card : 2 goals : 6 assists
Kayal Played (inc subs) 21: 10 yellow cards : 0 red cards : 2 goals : 0 assists
Much of a muchness I’d say, although Brown being 3 years older should know better :)
Re the 1967 Di Stefano game. I once heard this was the biggest attendance in Europe for a friendly . Anybody confirm/?
The Battered Bunnet @10 55.—
Yup ——that penalty was soft by Scottish standards [ excluding the standards set for the Hun ] but a big percentage of European Refs would have seen that as a Penalty . Hooper should have known better –he made it easy for the Ref —–hopefully part of the learning experience —-
I watched the game on Udinese TV —–the commentator screamed for a penalty . I watched the highlights on Mediaset [ a kind of Channel 5 Berlusconi [ vile man ] thing ] –the commentator screamed for a penalty..
Speaking of the Europa League —– as he walked into the tunnel last night , Mancini was taunted with —– “Thursday Nights on Mediaset”
Italian media not slow to point out that the current Man City squad cost 60 times more than Napoli’s squad.
Looks like Milan have signed Tevez on a 6 month deal.
greenjedi: 23 November, 2011 at 10:56
“So you want to pay somebody £25k as back up?”
I’ve got no idea how much he earns – and I’m not sure how you know to be honest.
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire: 23 November, 2011 at 10:59
“on more than £20K a week and your taling about him improving”
As above … but surely it’s better that he is improving as a player. He is 26 years old and still a few years off his peak.
weeminger,
1 Red made a big difference to our title chances last year if I remember properly, no ?
Oh wait a minute that was sammi’s fault what was I thinking :o)
jungle1967 says:
23 November, 2011 at 11:23
I would think so. Possibly the biggest for a friendly in the World?
Not very many competitive games would beat it either (and indeed only one European competition game that I can think of)
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire says:
23 November, 2011 at 11:25
Every decision and missed chance made a difference to our title chances last year. :) [ or possibly :( ]
Morning Celts, que pasa?
Is the game televised anywhere?
It’s blown a storm along the Fylde coast, bliddy freezing in the wind, waves crashing down from the Irish sea…. The sea o the sea…
V
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/gallery/2011/nov/22/the-gallery-republic-of-ireland
Hail Hail
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire says:
23 November, 2011 at 11:25
We won both the game he was red-carded in and also the one he was suspended for 1-0 v Murderwell and 0-2 v the Orcs respectively
Anybody who has not yet received an email from BT, can I suggest you page the Oracle :>)
V
steinreigns..,
a few years off his physical peak, whats that got to do with him not having a football brain, which is the main issue with his game, at 26 his football is postitional/awareness/temprement are all still juvinile.
As for the money, absolute drivel you are spouting, its fair to judge his wages on the transfer fee, and my estimation is based on £5K per million, not unreasonable.
canamalar at 11:25
1 Red made a big difference to our title chances last year if I remember properly, no ?
Was his red card not against Motherwell for little or nothing after they had tried to kick our players off the park. He was suspended for the 2-0 win at Ibrox.
Mort
I hope we hit absolute top form tonight.
A repeat of the result against Aberdeen just over a year ago would be nice.
Realistically though: 4-0 (Stoke x 2, Hooper & Ledley, with one of Stokes goals being a cheeky back-heel, for which he’ll get booked, just because).
dirtymac,
smart ass :o)
LUX CELT —–
De Jong ——simply not my type of player . Too industrial . He played a crucial role in that sad to see Dutch team in last year’s World Cup.
Cavani and the wondrous Lavezzi [ both said to be signing for Man City in the next window ] took him and Yaya Toure to the cleaners last night .
Pass and move football. Pace ,technique and intelligence . Rapier like finish for the winner.
It should be a beautiful game.