Spfl Prize And Tv Money

[Kmcalpin]

Like many of you I don't like the power that the TV companies wield over football or the distribution of their cash, which I think has only served to damage the game by inflating the vastly bloated and obscene monster that is the English Premiership. However I don't blame the TV companies as they are doing the best they can for their owners and shareholders. The bottom line however is that the interests of their owners may not coincide with the interests of football outwith the EPL.

 

I've said before and I'll say again if fans don't like the situation then they should unsubscribe from the TV packages. Hit these companies where it hurts - in their accounts. They might be pouring cash into the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal et al but it won't be my cash. I rarely watch EPL matches and go out of my way to avoid them.

 

Years ago Scots fans would be happy to watch their local senior side and perhaps local junior/juvenile teams but this is becoming increasingly rare. Expectations have risen enormously since the late 70s and we frequently read about our team and other Scots sides being rubbish. Rubbish compared to what? The EPL or La Liga? That's totally unrealistic!

 

It saddened me to see two elderly gents (70+) dressed in Barcelona / Arsenal tops discussing the merits of reserve players of those two clubs who I've never heard of. If these two daft old duffers can't see sense what chance have younger fans got?

 

Me? I'll stick to following the Well and local clubs. That's where the future of football lies. We have to go back to our roots. The EPL is totally unsustainable and I'll be delighted when it rots.

[SuperCC]

yip I've heard and seen hundred of quotes from Doncaster, Regan and many key players in the press and media about a damaged and uncompetitive league.

 

only a few have dared to point out just how competitive most games in the league actually are

 

an now our leaders appear to be in hiding, instead of using the opportunity to big it up with the simple excuse that they should be getting out there

 

Fantastic point and after what has been one of the most exciting years in Scottish Football with meaningful and exciting matches at each end of the table and in the first div right up to the last day (or even last 60 seconds), why arent Doncaster and the other donkeys all out there this week with press statements really pumping up our profile! They moan about lack of sponsor or TV money but they arent really selling the product so why should they expect someone to pump money in! Its almost like they dont want to admit that the league has actually been more exciting without one of the ugly sisters - that sure fecked up all the bullshit they were spouting two years ago!

[johnstone]

Sky don't want us. We are nuisance and the only reason they stick with us is that they don't want to piss off Rangers and Celtic fans who then might cancel their subscriptions.

 

Do they show Welsh football on Sky. Do they fuck!

 

I do agree though that if SKY and BT are going to show our games then we need to expect much better TV revenue, but thats down to Doncaster and his inept team of wankers to thrash out a deal, but it seems they are happy with 20 quid, a poke of chips and a hand job.

[The_Craig]

But Dong-caster is acting on behalf of the clubs. So ultimate responsibility falls upon the clubs themselves. But it again follows my argument that there is no competition for the rights to the SPFL, therefore it's a race to the bottom and the lowest price Sky can get away with. As for Sky not showing the Welsh game, they don't. But they show matches from Norn Iron.

[Wellfan1984]

Sky don't want us. We are nuisance and the only reason they stick with us is that they don't want to piss off Rangers and Celtic fans who then might cancel their subscriptions.

 

Do they show Welsh football on Sky. Do they fuck!

 

I do agree though that if SKY and BT are going to show our games then we need to expect much better TV revenue, but thats down to Doncaster and his inept team of wankers to thrash out a deal, but it seems they are happy with 20 quid, a poke of chips and a hand job.

 

They show the Irish League though, while BT show Non-League.

[Well Up For It!]

I've made the case before.

 

The financial power in the Premiership is a bubble waiting to burst. It is completely unsustainable.

 

Clubs are getting £62m for being relegated and paying bigger and bigger wages to bang average players. They will get greedy come renewal time and ask for more and more. And SKY, BT and the likes will have to pay it to sustain their subscription, and will pass the costs onto the punters. Eventually, people will refuse to pay £50/60 per month for sports and cancel, putting the big TV companies on the verge of implosions. They can't pay the clubs, the clubs can't pay it's bills and overnight the money tap gets turned off and clubs left right and centre plunge into administration unable to meet its massive costs.

 

This will happen in my lifetime, I have no doubt about it. When exactly, I don't know, but the end is most definitely in sight for this insane levels of finance.

 

 

[Big Stall]

I've made the case before.

 

The financial power in the Premiership is a bubble waiting to burst. It is completely unsustainable.

 

Clubs are getting £62m for being relegated and paying bigger and bigger wages to bang average players. They will get greedy come renewal time and ask for more and more. And SKY, BT and the likes will have to pay it to sustain their subscription, and will pass the costs onto the punters. Eventually, people will refuse to pay £50/60 per month for sports and cancel, putting the big TV companies on the verge of implosions. They can't pay the clubs, the clubs can't pay it's bills and overnight the money tap gets turned off and clubs left right and centre plunge into administration unable to meet its massive costs.

 

This will happen in my lifetime, I have no doubt about it. When exactly, I don't know, but the end is most definitely in sight for this insane levels of finance.

 

 

 

You might see that start of it in a year or so. SKY are losing Champions League football, I don't see how they will be able to justify maintaining prices without that major product.

[Brazilian]

They then lose even more EPL games, to BT , sky are all ready facing an uncertain period , BT seem ready to pay over the odds but neither can sustain it on subscriptions , wonder how much advertisers pay

[Yoshi-1991]

Why would anyone pay more for a product that constantly is told its shite. Pundits complain about the lack of money in the game but constantly talk it down, I don't blame the TV companies for paying buttons. If I went to buy a guitar and fender said "our guitars are shite but please pay lots of money for it anyway" and Gibson were like "we make the best guitars in the world, nobody else is better, pay us lots of money" I know who u would be buying from.

[Goggles & Flippers]

When you have 4 sports channels you have to fill them with something, we are seen as a cheap filler, I suspect not much more by the bosses in Isleworth.

 

Issue is we're being bombarded with football, there's hardly a league in the world that you can't find a game or highlights show for on a full sub package these days. There used to be a bit of excitement if we were on the Scotsport extended highlights once every 4 weeks or so and then an odd european game in the latter stages with a big massive blocky R in the top right and commentary over the telephone.

 

As a result familiarity breeds contempt and we're now immune to it. The knock on effect is less people are inclined to visit the games because they can pretty much watch their team live 15-20 times a season on a computer and sub based telly. Add to the mix just a general apathy and we find why we have dwindling attendances and not that much enthusiasm in our product.

[Brazilian]

I have paid a great disservice to the bold Doncaster

 

back in April, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said:

"The first official SPFL season has already provided many highlights and memorable moments, and we look forward to its conclusion including the widely anticipated play-offs which this year will feature the new Premiership play-off.

 

"We are also very busy planning for season 2014/15 and are pleased to announce the start dates across league and cup competitions.

 

"There are some very positive stories to be told across all our leagues at the moment and we only see the level of interest in Scottish football increasing further in the months ahead and as next season kicks off."

 

then he scurried away and hid under his rock

[Malky79]

I get the difference in population etc.

 

But when a relegated team get more for one season than the entire SPL get for a couple of seasons then the plots been lost.

 

The last EPL deal was £3Billion so we should expect £300M for our next one.

 

Money attracts money, and just like the gap between the OF and the rest of Scottish football it isn't just down to Glasgow being the biggest town and I do think the SPL is undervalued and how Neil Doncaster has a job in Scottish football I'll never understand.

 

The plot is indeed lost but that goes for loads of things not just football.

[steeldrew]

The money made in England doesn't just come from Sky and BT. In the states they have a deal with NBC worth $250 million over three years. There will be a massive amount of money paid by Al Jazeera to broadcast across North Africa. Then there will be deals across Asia and the rest of Europe. That's what makes it sustainable. It's a globally marketable brand and a desirable product. That's something that the SPFL will never be internationally.

[texanwellfan]

I have paid a great disservice to the bold Doncaster

 

back in April, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said:

 

 

then he scurried away and hid under his rock

 

 

There was a lot of concern on here over Flow's qualifications for the position he now holds. I've been away a long time so I was wondering what are Doncaster's qualifications that enabled him to take on that position?

[weeyin]

MBA, solicitor, Chief Exec at Norwich when they were promoted to the EPL and board member of the FA and the Football League.

[Brazilian]

MBA, solicitor, Chief Exec at Norwich when they were promoted to the EPL and board member of the FA and the Football League.

the one thing missing from that CV, is the experience and an understanding of football fans and passion for their club and the game

[weeyin]

I'm no Doncaster fan, but to be fair he had some sucess with Norwich. However, I'm afraid he came north with a fairly typical (or stereotypical) English view of the Scottish game as being diddy, where only the OF were important.

 

We really needed an evangelist, but we ended up with an apologist.

[texanwellfan]

Sounds like he should be able to do the job then ! So is it him or the

product?

[texanwellfan]

whether it's him or the product it would appear not to be working so time to try another. we seem to be lazily just copying england and that doesn't seem to be working

[steelboy]

right now the product is terrible. the quality of player in the league has declined greatly and there hasn't been a title battle for years. there's not much you can say in favour of the league.

 

but even a few years ago when there was a title battle and better quality people still talked it down and there is always too much over reaction to anything involving the old firm. consider the 'shame game' of a few years ago which ended up in a holyrood committee hearing to the millwall west ham cup tie which was forgotten about in a couple of days.

[SuperCC]

It doesn't matter how terrible the product is, its Doncasters job to talk it up and sell it to the world and also try to improve the end product for those that pay to watch it every week! I haven't seen any evidence whatsoever that he has achieved either of those and if anything has actually done the opposite since his time in Scottish football!

Now he is employed by all the Clubs so what do we think their expectations are of him in that job?

[weeyin]

Guys like McCall talk up our game far more than Doncaster. I can't see how the top tier think he is doing a good job, but I can see how the lower tiers are fine with it as they have probably seen some benefit from the new structure and financing.

[steelboy]

he's on a hiding to nothing.

 

sky and to a lesser extent bt are the only bidders in town and with all their data will know exactly what scottish football is worth to them.

 

as for getting a sponsor it's not doncaster who is responsible for celtic playing the sectarian card when they were on the end of 3 in a row, rangers getting tied up in the tax fiasco and now owned by conmen, hearts functioning as a money laundering vehicle for russian crooks, aberdeen being ignored by their city, hibs being a long running joke. how could any decent brand be convinced to put their name to that?

[Brazilian]

if it is revealed that Doncaster actually paid money back to ESPN-BTsport to effectively promote the Rangers product in their rebirth, then maybe we will see the end of him.

 

he was only defended by our directors as the man that is the best at the contract negotiations despite his other flaws.

 

giving money back is very rarely good for any company

[SuperCC]

Agree with all that Steelboy but the point is, it doesn't matter what the product is - or how poor it is - every utterance in public from the man at the top should be a positive one! Doesn't matter if your selling cars, double-glazing or doughnuts, they are the best doughnuts in the world is what you will hear from the bloke selling them!

 

As for lack of a sponsor, even the Welsh Football League has a sponsor and different ones right down the pyramid so you cant tell me that there wasn't/isn't someone out there that would be happy to put their brand on our game.

 

Am sure we would all prefer a name like Motorola again on our shirts rather than Cash Converters but you cut your clothe according to what's on the table!