Dundee United fan claims Championship TV blackout is ‘entirely down to Rangers’...

[ian1964 10,723]

...moving up to Premiership.

 

A member of a prominent Dundee United supporters club has written a letter of complaint to BBC Scotland director Ken MacQuarrie after it emerged that Sportscene is no longer showing footage from the Scottish Championship.

 

In a hard-hitting letter to the BBC Scotland boss, Ceres Arabs member Chris Bennison claimed that the decision of BT and Sky to no longer send cameras to the second tier of Scottish football was “entirely down to Rangers” gaining promotion to the top flight.

 

He also claimed that if Rangers were still in the lower division, BBC Scotland would have “found a way, by hook or crook” to continue with second tier coverage.

 

Mr Bennison, 36, a lifelong fan of Dundee United — who were relegated to the Scottish Championship at the end of last season — believes coverage of the lower leagues only started due to the presence of Rangers.

 

However, now that the Glasgow club have fought their way back to the top flight after years in the enforced wilderness, he believes TV executives no longer see it as necessary to cover the lower leagues.

 

Mr Bennison, an Edinburgh-based digital marketing consultant, told The Courier: “I know what some will say – ‘You’re only bringing this up because you’re a United fan.’

 

“That’s not true — this is about the BBC acting like a commercial broadcaster towards Scottish football.

 

“They’re supposed to redress the balance and cover areas that the commercial sector overlook. They’re not supposed to bother about audience share either. It’s neither here nor there if Sky or BT have stopped their footage of the Championship. So what?

 

“It’s still incumbent on the BBC to provide coverage. I respectfully suggest that this contravenes the BBC’s mandate.”

Prime time

 

The long-running Sportscene highlights show has a new prime time one-hour Sunday night slot.

 

But fans were left fuming at the weekend about the lack of second tier action with many taking to social media to voice their frustrations.

 

Writing to the BBC as an individual rather than on behalf of Ceres Arabs, Mr Bennison said Rangers enjoyed “saturation coverage” on TV, radio and online.

 

He said that while he expected commercial media to “indulge in breathless, obsequious and sycophantic Rangers happenings”, the BBC is “guilty of acting like a commercial organisation on numerous occasions when it comes to the Ibrox outfit”.

Footage

 

A spokesman for BBC Scotland – which has been in dispute with Rangers over perceived negative stories about the Ibrox club – said footage could only be shown from where Sky/BT Sport had sent cameras.

 

From the start of season 2012/2013, Sky and BT Sport, as the main rights holder of Scottish Premiership coverage, asked for an extension to cover the lower leagues – where Rangers then resided. That contract extension has now ended, the spokesman confirmed. He said BBC Radio Scotland still provided coverage of the lower leagues. TV coverage of some lower league games would still feature on BBC Alba.

 

Asked about the alleged breach of the BBC mandate, the spokesman said the BBC had a responsibility to cater for all – not just football – audiences. With tighter budgets, it had to “cut its cloth accordingly” and the BBC already paid £1.5 million a year to the SPFL, he said.

 

A spokeswoman for BT Sport said: “We did send cameras to Championship games last season. This year we will cover the play-offs and we may show selected Championship games where editorially relevant. BT Sport broadcasts games from the SPFL as well as exclusive coverage of the SPFL League Cup.”

 

Sky Sports were asked for comment but did not respond.

 

North East Fife MP and Dundee United fan Stephen Gethins told The Courier he has been approached by constituents and had now written to the BBC to raise his concerns.

 

He said: “The Championship is an incredibly competitive and exciting league so the decision by the BBC is all the more difficult to understand. There is a simple question of fairness here and fans from across Scotland should continue to enjoy the games in this league this season just as they did last season.”

 

Rangers Football Club declined to comment when contacted by The Courier.

 

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/scotland/261748/dundee-united-fan-claims-championship-tv-blackout-entirely-rangers-moving-premiership/

[the gunslinger 3,366]

Even the BBC hate utd

[JFK-1 1,693]

While the BBC do have a mandate to cater to minority audiences I would say that DU aren't enough of an audience factor to qualify as even worthwhile minority. An average home attendance of 6,122 in the SPL far less the championship where this season there will be no OF teams to pad it out?

 

Contrast that to Rangers averages over 40K in the championship then add on a known domestic and international audience much larger than even that who will tune into a Rangers match and the vast difference is obvious. Hell we had 27K for a midweek match against league one opposition just last night which all alone is double the highest DU attendance of last season which was less than 12K for a derby match against Dundee.

 

The BBC has to draw the line somewhere. DU have to grasp that they're clearly below the line that even qualifies as notable minority.

Edited August 10, 2016 by JFK-1

[Uilleam 5,932]

"...an Edinburgh based digital marketing consultant..."

 

Says it all, really.

[RANGERRAB 3,663]

Did these people learn nothing back in 2012?

 

NO RANGERS means no TV deals, coverage, sponsorships etc, etc

 

Not rocket science. Very simple

[colinstein 294]

The BBC get their highlights from Sky Sports and BT apparently.

so their lack of championship coverage is because neither Sky nor BT are sending cameras to championship games

[aweebluesoandso 290]

Our club did there bit for the lower leagues, the revenues we generated will finance those clubs for several seasons. Now it's up to The Arabs and Hivs to shoulder the burden, though if i was a chairman in the Championship, i wouldn't be ordering new curtains for the boardroom just yet, bwahahahaha.

Edited August 10, 2016 by aweebluesoandso

[MacK1950 2,376]

I know it's not the club that's complaining but for those involved now they have fallen "TOUGH"

[TheWee BlueDevil 0]

Why does this not bother me?

 

Oh yes I remember now.........hahahahahahahahahahahah. Who needs Rangers eh?

 

What goes round comes round.

 

I hope they sink without trace!

[JFK-1 1,693]

Why does this not bother me?

 

Oh yes I remember now.........hahahahahahahahahahahah. Who needs Rangers eh?

 

What goes round comes round.

 

I hope they sink without trace!

 

Think they would like to be in the same league now?