Summer football? SPFL to announce revamped League Cup plans for NEXT season...

[ian1964 10,720]

...as they also net sponsorship deal for final three rounds THIS year.

 

GOVERNING body have tied up a title sponsor from the quarter final stage of a tournament that is seen as "running out of steam" by many in Scottish football.

 

NEIL DONCASTER will today announce another stop gap £200,000 sponsorship deal for the League Cup - then reveal radical plans to overhaul the entire tournament in time for next season.

 

Record Sport understands the SPFL are set to press ahead with proposals to give the competition a massive revamp which will effectively bring summer football to Scotland as early as next year.

 

Talks between the clubs are already at an advanced stage with a broad agreement to reintroduce group stages which will begin in July, weeks ahead of the next league campaign.

 

It’s anticipated that the group stages will be regionalised which could result in a number of high profile derby matches in the likes of Dundee, Edinburgh and the Highlands.

 

But all clubs participating in Champions League or Europa League qualifiers will be exempt from these early showdowns and be parachuted into the competition in the later knock-out rounds.

 

A source said: “It all adds up to a major rebranding of a competition which has been running out of steam for a long time now. Summer football is something the fans seems to want so having competitive matches in July for the first time will provide an interesting yardstick.

 

“Also, as well as the potential for some big derby matches, regionalising the group stages will reduce transport costs for both the fans and the clubs so the hope is these changes will give the competition a badly needed shot in the arm.”

 

Last season railway specialists QTS paid around £100,000 to sponsor the League Cup from the semi-finals onwards, after Celtic and Rangers had been paired in the last four.

 

It’s expected this latest deal - which will begin at the quarter final stage - will be worth more than double that sum.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/summer-football-spfl-announce-revamped-6627405

[calscot 0]

I think they've missed the point with the summer football thing. It was supposed to be about moving the league fixtures from the winter to the summer, not extending the season by another 5 games or so. These games won't be on the season ticket - or will they, meaning a price hike? I can see that increasing the revenue but if there is little interest, pay at the gate might be low. The last time we had this it was kicked to touch as we'd just watched a great World Cup and then while on a high were subjected to some really turgid games involving lower division sides.

 

Perhaps our non-involvement in the international competitions will help as I think it's hard to get that interested in a party where you're not invited. I'm sure we used to take a lot more interest in the World Cup when we used to qualify - including watching pretty much the whole competition, because we knew it also kind of affected us. The fact we always went out early didn't douse our enthusiasm as we got caught up in the narrative of the competition and were also attracted certain teams we discovered were good to watch.

 

It just seems like a rehashing of old ideas that were discarded for good reason.

[ian1964 10,720]

SPFL chief Neil Doncaster says he wants more money from the BBC for TV highlights

 

DONCASTER is due to renegotiate the broadcasting deal next season, and says £1million is not enough.

 

SPFL chief Neil Doncaster will demand the BBC stump up more cash when he renegotiates their broadcasting deal next season.

 

The SPFL went to war with the corporation in May over the small sums they receive in comparison to the English Premier League.

 

Chairman Ralph Topping blasted BBC chiefs for “short-changing” and “damaging” the Scottish game and said they deserved a bigger slice of the licence fee.

 

Scottish football only gets around £1million for their TV highlights – a pittance compared to the £204m the Beeb paid for a three-year Match of the Day package.

 

BBC director of sport Barbara Slater defended the move at the time but Doncaster wants more with the current deal due to end in just seven months.

 

The SPFL chief executive yesterday announced a League Cup sponsorship deal in the region of £200,000 with pre-pay energy provider Utilita.

 

And he said: “There certainly needs to be more investment in the national game from the Scottish national broadcaster.

 

“We absolutely value BBC Scotland as one of our key partners but it’s important they pay a fair price for the rights. Ultimately, money is a key contributor to the success of the game.”

 

Doncaster hinted the league could even enlist the help of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in their battle.

 

Asked about that, he said “There are a number of people interested in this debate who would like to see more investment from BBC Scotland in the game here.”

 

Doncaster also confirmed Record Sport’s story that the League Cup is set to be revamped, with group 
stages in July to satisfy the 
appetite for competitive summer fixtures.

 

He hopes to confirm the new format before the end of the year but it won’t see the return of a European place for the winners.

 

He said: “A number of clubs have made it clear they would like to see summer football and so have fans.”

 

However, Doncaster insists a 16-team top flight isn’t on the agenda, adding: “I don’t see sufficient demand from clubs or our other stakeholders for that.

 

“There are problems with the format and meaningless mid-table games.

 

“What we have created through the play-offs is drama, tension and 
excitement as it goes right to the wire.”

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/spfl-chief-neil-doncaster-says-6636943

[der Berliner 3,716]

SPFL chief Neil Doncaster dismisses Rangers boss Mark Warburton's appeal for a 16 team Premiership

 

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster today told Rangers boss Mark Warburton there is NO CHANCE of the Ladbrokes Premiership expanding to include 16 teams.

 

Warburton, a former City of London trader, has described Scotland's top flight clubs playing each four times a season as "overkill".

 

The Englishman believes several second tier clubs are good enough to compete with Aberdeen, Celtic and Hearts and would like to see the elite division expanded.

 

But Doncaster has said: “I don’t see it. I don’t see sufficient demand from clubs or our other stakeholders for that.

 

“If you look at other countries with the population similar to Scotland, I don’t know of any who have larger leagues. There are so many problems with the format and meaningless mid-table games.

 

“What we have created through the play-offs is drama, tension and excitement as it goes right to the wire - in all four divisions.

 

“We absolutely should be open-minded about the future format but I don’t see why a larger league would get buy-in and consensus. That’s the feedback I’ve had.”

 

Meanwhile, Doncaster has revealed he expects a new League Cup format to be confirmed before the end of 2015 and for the revamped tournament to kick-off next July.

 

Speaking after Utilita Energy was announced as the £200,000 sponsors of this season’s League Cup, Doncaster confirmed plans to change the competition were at an advanced stage.

 

“There have been discussions with clubs for a number of months over a group stage format and revamp of the League Cup,” he said.

 

“A number have made it clear they would like to see summer football and so have fans. It’s our intention to revisit the format in time for next summer so that we can have a July group stage that will deliver that demand.

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“The precise format has to be worked through but ultimately it’s up to the clubs. Having a group stage in July has been warmly received by most, if not all, people.

 

“A number of clubs are keen to have games in the warmer months and it means all the clubs will start at the same time.

 

“The details – format, group sizes and regionalisation - has to be worked through. But I am hopeful that we will be able to announce the format by the end of the year.

 

“We haven’t had group stages for a long time and to have that in July will be something different and that can only help attract sponsors.”

 

Doncaster dismissed suggestions the League Cup winners could, as used to be the case in the past, be handed a European place.

 

He said: “I don’t see any appetite among the clubs for that. We have four places, so to give up 25% of that would be difficult.”

 

Elsewhere, Doncaster has also stressed the BBC needs to invest more money in Scottish football if it hopes to renew its current deal with the SPFL after it expires at the end of this season.

 

Doncaster has reiterated a call from Ralph Topping, the SPFL chairman, made in May for the SPFL to be given a greater share of licence fee money from the BBC.

 

At the moment, the Premier League in England receives £68 million for their highlights package while its Scottish counterpart only gets £1 million a year.

 

“We are in the final year of our deal with the BBC in terms of our package and those discussions continue,” said Doncaster.

 

“There certainly needs to be more investment in the national game from the Scottish national broadcaster. It’s something that you won’t find much disagreement about within the game.

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“There are a number of people interested in this debate who would like to see more investment from BBC Scotland in the game here.

 

“Ultimately, money is a key contributor to the success of the game in Scotland. We absolutely value BBC Scotland as one of our key partners, but it’s important that they pay a fair price for the rights."

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/rangers/13847829.SPFL_chief_Neil_Doncaster_dismisses_Rangers_boss_Mark_Warburton_s_appeal_for_a_16_team_Premiership/

 

It will take about 5 secs to tear Neil's arguments apart, but since Scottish Clan mentality and money grabbing attitudes are clearly visible, nothing more needs to be said.

 

And on a very different note, David Healy has been named Linfield boss (though they still bowed out of the League Cup yesterday).