Clubs issue threat to end BBC deal

[ian1964 10,720]

SPFL chief Topping wants ‘north of £3 million’

 

The chairman of the Scottish Professional Football League, Ralph Topping, last night insisted that clubs are ready to pull the plug on BBC Scotland’s Sportscene show and the rights to broadcast games live on radio.

 

Long-running contract negotiations between the SPFL and the BBC are no closer to a resolution and the parties remain far apart on what the broadcaster should pay for TV highlights, radio and online rights from the start of next season.

 

The present deal is worth £1.4 million per year but Topping said the BBC would have to offer between £3 million and £4 million before the 42 clubs would agree to continue.

 

The BBC last night said Topping’s comments were unhelpful while negotiations continue.

 

Topping and figures at a number of Premiership clubs believe the BBC should pay far more for its access and their views became more entrenched when it emerged this week that the broadcaster had extended its rights to cover the FA Cup, having signed a deal worth a reported £100 million in 2013. The BBC also pays £68 million per year for Match of the Day highlights, with Gary Lineker, the presenter, receiving an annual salary around twice what is paid for Scottish rights. At the end of last season Topping accused BBC Scotland of “short- changing” and “damaging” Scottish football and last night he said nothing had changed.

 

 

Clubs want a concrete offer to consider from the BBC when they meet in a fortnight, with a view to having a deal finalised next month.

 

If no agreement is reached, the Sportscene highlights show would have no footage and nor could Radio Scotland include live commentaries in its vast football coverage.

 

“From the meetings that we’ve held with the clubs, the divisional and general meetings, there is an absolute view that they will have to come up with a significant offer,” said Topping.

 

“In my view that offer would need to be north of £3 million. Between £3 million and £4 million. Bear in mind it’s the national competition and this year the league has shown itself to be exciting. There will be excitement right through the league next season also. I think that has to be reflected in the price — and the BBC has to show a commitment to the national game in Scotland.

 

“I think there is a question mark over the attitude of the BBC to Scotland and it is vital that those in Scotland demonstrate that they are fighting the cause because others here would say ‘no, they’re not fighting the cause, they’re not banging the drum’. Yet when you look at their programming every night there is huge coverage of football. It is the backbone of Radio Scotland and I think there is a price to be paid for that. I think they have a duty and a responsibility to the community as a community broadcaster.

 

“The view among the clubs would be that if there isn’t a significant move north in price, they would be prepared to pull the plug on the TV and radio stuff. There are guys at the BBC who are quite worried about what happens. What the BBC do is good — there is no criticism at all of the guys at the sharp end of the BBC — but the feeling is that they need to offer a value acceptable to the clubs to get an agreement.”

 

BBC Scotland has consistently argued that it has no obligation to pay more than the market rate and that it must justify its spending to all licence-fee payers, not just its football audience. It gave a vigorous response last night. Ewan Angus, BBC Scotland’s commissioning editor for television, said: “We are in the midst of negotiations at the moment and it’s not particularly helpful that Mr Topping chooses to comment in this way. Figures have been discussed but nothing as yet has been concluded. But we are in a formal negotiation process involving senior representatives from the SPFL.

 

“I am always hopeful that we can arrive at a deal that suits all parties. I’ve been involved in a lot of football rights and sports rights negotiations over the years. They are never particularly easy but you have to approach each negotiation with a high degree of positivity and optimism and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

 

“We are trying to arrive at a position that the SPFL will be happy with, that is an appropriate level of spend for BBC Scotland and which will deliver the best possible outcome for audiences and fans of the game.”

 

Angus dismissed comparisons with the new BBC deal for FA Cup rights: “Different territory, different sets of circumstances, different type of competition.” The SPFL’s deal with Sky and BT Sport for live coverage of games is worth £18.75 million a year.

 

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dc19cfea-01ca-11e6-be35-a3e1f14094fe

Edited April 14, 2016 by ian1964

[calscot 0]

Rangers' promotion has given him some backbone.

[calscot 0]

Would be happy to pull the plug on the BBC and give other broadcasters a chance.

[stewarty 1,998]

Radio Scotland's coverage has been jaded for some time, with only a small number of notable exceptions. Much like their attitude to the world's most successful club...

[craig 5,199]

"There will be excitement right through the league next season also"

 

Just cant bring himself to call a spade a spade.... "With Rangers back in the top flight the anticipation of next season, plus the significant jump in viewing audience, means the league will be exciting next season" is what he SHOULD have said.

[Frankie 8,531]

Not sure how BBC can make a credible bid when they refuse to cover one club's home games.

 

I'd rather another broadcaster got a chance as the BBC's is cheap, tacky, tired and not worth utilising.

[RANGERRAB 3,613]

Not sure how BBC can make a credible bid when they refuse to cover one club's home games.

 

I'd rather another broadcaster got a chance as the BBC's is cheap, tacky, tired and not worth utilising.

 

which other broadcaster would be willing to pay what Topping is looking for?

we've been here before when wee Roger Mitchell tried to play the tough guy with SKY who walked away & we ended up with a much inferior deal ironically with the BBC.

[boabie 230]

BBC Scotland would manage to make an erse of the world cup final. Consequently coverage of Scottish football by them is worthless if it's presented by a shower of dummies and halfwits.

[der Berliner 3,716]

As much as I want the BBC kicked out, I find it hard to show any sort of support for the SPFL for what they did to us. They shall reap their "rewards" as long as possible too ...

[calscot 0]

which other broadcaster would be willing to pay what Topping is looking for?

we've been here before when wee Roger Mitchell tried to play the tough guy with SKY who walked away & we ended up with a much inferior deal ironically with the BBC.

 

There is a commodity there - as long as there are viewers there is advertising potential, that's the market value the BBC have to compete with.

 

With Sottish football generally having twice as many viewers per capita than England with the vast majority supporting spl teams and have roughly 10% of their population, that would value us about 8.5M for the highlights. However let's say halve that due to supporters of lower English divisions tuning in to MOTD and you come to 4.2M. Topping is asking for about 75% of that. So sounds about right.

 

The reason we don't have a market for live games is that with sky it's all about subscriptions. The problem there is that many Scots pay for sky whether Scottish games are shown or not, as they choose the English Premiership over Scottish games. They are the ones to almost totally blame for the pittance we got there, while we were still in the top tier.