SPFL independent review

[Henry]

Five Scottish Premiership clubs have commissioned independent advisers to conduct a review of the SPFL and identify "significant additional revenues for the benefit of all".

Aberdeen, Dundee, Dundee United, Hearts and Hibernian have engaged Deloitte to undertake the evaluation, which has been endorsed by the SPFL.

The clubs are keen for engagement from throughout the 42-team organisation and say they will publish the key outcomes and recommendations, with the process expected to take six months.

"We believe a clear vision and strategy with measurable goals is needed," say the clubs involved.

The "strategic and holistic review" will cover four main points:

• Commercial growth
• The SPFL brand
• SPFL structure, governance, organisation, resources & competition
• Strategic projects

The five clubs insist it is "not about redistribution of existing income sources in favour of so-called 'bigger clubs'," adding that "a rising tide lifts all ships".

It is hoped the annual distribution to member clubs can be increased from its current level of £27m a year to "at least £50m" within the next five years.

They go on to say improved revenues will help produce "better, more technically gifted players", to compete in Europe and for Scotland.

The SPFL was formed in June 2013 following a merger between the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish Football League.

Chief executive Neil Doncaster said: "We wholeheartedly welcome and support any initiative that has the good of the game at its heart."

US influence a driving force for change - analysis

BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English

These clubs have been talking for some time, brought together by a mutual frustration at the corporate governance of the SPFL. That covers a multitude but there is a strong feeling among this group - driven by American owners - that the league is punching way below its weight and that things need to change.

There are people in this group with huge experience of the can-do culture in American sport. A number of them feel that the SPFL, under chief executive Neil Doncaster, should be more ambitious and innovative in terms of selling the Premiership. They feel that the SPFL is poorly marketed and suffers from a negative mindset at the top.

This is about exploiting commercial opportunities and maximising broadcasting deals. For some, it's also about regime change. The prospect of a breakaway league has been mentioned as a last ditch scenario, an emergency measure to be re-examined more closely if they feel they are getting nowhere.

Doncaster has given his backing to the report. This is basically a forensic examination of how he and his executive is doing its business. This could get very interesting.

[WesthillWanderersFC]

And the filth weren’t asked, which is pleasing.

Looks like the Yanks are stirring the pot (Hibs Ron Gordon leading this).

4 of the 5 owners are American or in Cormack’s case, have strong American influences.  

 

[Andy_123]

The clubs are quite right, Doncaster doesn't give a fuck about anything other than his precious 4 OF games a season. I'm sure there will be plenty areas for improvement this report will highlight.

Won't be at all surprised when it's filed away and forgotten about with no action taken, much like the one McLeish produced a few years ago.

[Wester Hailes Skins]

The fuck are Dundee involved for? Minnows with a track record of deceit and vote changing. Hearts are now owned by our fans, EXACTLY the kind of example where our ownership needs a voice. Should have refused them a seat at the table. Or invited them, then changed our minds at last moment. 

Agree with other four who should be pushing for a fairer distribution of TV money outwith Glasgow.

Also pricing. The Glasgow two can nearly charge anything. And still play to full stadiums. The four of us should be pushing independent pricing at 15 quid a ticket. With discounts for kids, OAPs, and disabled. And therefore playing to twice the crowds. 

Also TV deals can't stipulate Glasgow two getting away games live all the time. Live big games from our grounds harm our attendances. Glasgow two protected with only home games are against each other. 

Dare say reconstruction also back on the table. A 16 team top league. Breaking into two. 

Generally good things happening at Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen. Our top league should be getting more investment to support this further. 

Doncaster out. There's a start. He couldn't sell a glass of water to a man on fire. 

[NEM]

Albert Kidd still burns deep I see ?

 

The more clubs involved the better. The whole lot should resign en mass and leave the bigots to their own 2 team league 

[shut up meg]

Why the fuck are hearts involved? they have a track record of huge losses and administration.

[thedandydon]

It’s an interesting development. Scottish football has undervalued itself for years and seems content to keep the status quo and allow the Glasgow two to ride roughshod over the rest. The SFA and the SPFL are just two sides of the same coin. Stuck in the past and resistant to making any radical change that would benefit the game as a whole, let alone levelling the playing field. Its no wonder our clubs get battered out of Europe by supposedly weaker nations. We’ve been left behind.

The influence of American investment, where its all about the brand and its component parts and marketing it both domestically and internationally, but most importantly maximising profit might push us in a new direction.

Removing the charlatan Doncaster would be a good start.

[Andy_123]

List of domestic football league broadcast deals by country - Wikipedia

No wonder we get less tv money than other countries, look at how little games we sell each season in comparison.

How does selling the rights to games work? Do the SPFL say we have X amount of games for sale, or do the broadcasters come in and say we want X amount of games?

[aberdeen1970]

Good stuff.   Bit of a no confidence in the gruesome twosome and Doncaster. 

As long as colt teams aren't one of the recommendations!! 

[The Gee Man]

1 hour ago, Wester Hailes Skins said:

The fuck are Dundee involved for? Minnows with a track record of deceit and vote changing. Hearts are now owned by our fans, EXACTLY the kind of example where our ownership needs a voice. Should have refused them a seat at the table. Or invited them, then changed our minds at last moment. 

Agree with other four who should be pushing for a fairer distribution of TV money outwith Glasgow.

Also pricing. The Glasgow two can nearly charge anything. And still play to full stadiums. The four of us should be pushing independent pricing at 15 quid a ticket. With discounts for kids, OAPs, and disabled. And therefore playing to twice the crowds. 

Also TV deals can't stipulate Glasgow two getting away games live all the time. Live big games from our grounds harm our attendances. Glasgow two protected with only home games are against each other. 

Dare say reconstruction also back on the table. A 16 team top league. Breaking into two. 

Generally good things happening at Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen. Our top league should be getting more investment to support this further. 

Doncaster out. There's a start. He couldn't sell a glass of water to a man on fire. 

What a disgraceful comment about Dundee in this context!! They are a Scottish club and deserve to be involved im actually surprised no Saints involved initially! It’s this kind of comment that keeps the OF in total control of Scottish football 

[WesthillWanderersFC]

1 hour ago, Wester Hailes Skins said:

The fuck are Dundee involved for? Minnows with a track record of deceit and vote changing. Hearts are now owned by our fans, EXACTLY the kind of example where our ownership needs a voice. Should have refused them a seat at the table. Or invited them, then changed our minds at last moment. 

Agree with other four who should be pushing for a fairer distribution of TV money outwith Glasgow.

Also pricing. The Glasgow two can nearly charge anything. And still play to full stadiums. The four of us should be pushing independent pricing at 15 quid a ticket. With discounts for kids, OAPs, and disabled. And therefore playing to twice the crowds. 

Also TV deals can't stipulate Glasgow two getting away games live all the time. Live big games from our grounds harm our attendances. Glasgow two protected with only home games are against each other. 

Dare say reconstruction also back on the table. A 16 team top league. Breaking into two. 

Generally good things happening at Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen. Our top league should be getting more investment to support this further. 

Doncaster out. There's a start. He couldn't sell a glass of water to a man on fire. 

If Dundee’s involvement pisses you off, then I’m all for it. 

FTH 

[afc1903mad]

1 hour ago, Wester Hailes Skins said:

 Hearts are now owned by our fans, EXACTLY the kind of example where our ownership needs a voice.

Well lets see what the Hearts fans voice say: -

1 hour ago, Wester Hailes Skins said:

The four of us should be pushing independent pricing at 15 quid a ticket. With discounts for kids, OAPs, and disabled. And therefore playing to twice the crowds.

Surely £15 a ticket will mean a reduction of revenue for Hearts, unless you're moving to Murrayfield to get twice the amount in.

If the FoH have the same mentality, how long till Hearts are back in administration?

[caledonia]

Being part of the union and no control over broadcasting we are bombarded with English football at the detriment of our own game.
 

kids are walking about in man city/ united shirts giving the English clubs revenue instead of our own clubs.

just look at the so called UK news and sports all dominated by one nation.

English woman's football will soon overtake our game and we cant do fuck all about it.

Other smaller nations have far better TV deals than us

Gary Vinegar was earning more than the BBC gave the whole of Scottish football a few years back. 

[sheepcrooky]

Great initiative and good to see us in the vanguard.  
 

It’s not even rocket science (aye nae him). 
 

Away with the 11-1 voting structure. 
Two top leagues only. 
Probably of 16 teams each. Can have a split after 30 games. 
Leagues under that on a more regionalised basis to reduce travel costs and get more fans. 
More even distribution of revenues. 
A “Scotland” team in the Southern regional league made up of U18/19 kids normally loaned out anyway. 
Said “Scotland” team to focus on togetherness and understanding rather than playing hoof ball for a no-mark team. 
Alcohol allowed back at stadiums. 
blah blah blah. 

[Pash]

1 hour ago, ConsiCanBoogie1903 said:

The latter, I'd imagine. 
 

Especially when your product isn't all that great. 

You could get a seat on the board of the SPFL.

[ericblack4boss]

3 hours ago, Andy_123 said:

The clubs are quite right, Doncaster doesn't give a fuck about anything other than his precious 4 OF games a season. I'm sure there will be plenty areas for improvement this report will highlight.

Won't be at all surprised when it's filed away and forgotten about with no action taken, much like the one McLeish produced a few years ago.

If the club's are that pissed of they can fire the cunt, that bastard has fucking sat pretty with fuck all accountability for 10 yrs, and Aberdeen needn't be taking the fucking high ground here,  they had that useless fucker Fraser on the board the body that Doncaster answers to for a long period and Fraser never said a word against the cunt.vand last autumn Cormack was acting like Doncasters bitch, publicly coming out for the re introduction of fans , and was made to look like a fucking idiot with the rapid acceleration of the restrictions after

[ericblack4boss]

55 minutes ago, sheepcrooky said:

Great initiative and good to see us in the vanguard.  
 

It’s not even rocket science (aye nae him). 
 

Away with the 11-1 voting structure. 
Two top leagues only. 
Probably of 16 teams each. Can have a split after 30 games. 
Leagues under that on a more regionalised basis to reduce travel costs and get more fans. 
More even distribution of revenues. 
A “Scotland” team in the Southern regional league made up of U18/19 kids normally loaned out anyway. 
Said “Scotland” team to focus on togetherness and understanding rather than playing hoof ball for a no-mark team. 
Alcohol allowed back at stadiums. 
blah blah blah. 

11-1 is still there because of the cowardice of a particular club that plays in red and is based in Aberdeen

[NEM]

44 minutes ago, ericblack4boss said:

11-1 is still there because of the cowardice of a particular club that plays in red and is based in Aberdeen

Stewart Milne isn’t the club 

[Dynamo]

4 hours ago, Wester Hailes Skins said:

The fuck are Dundee involved for? Minnows with a track record of deceit and vote changing. Hearts are now owned by our fans, EXACTLY the kind of example where our ownership needs a voice. Should have refused them a seat at the table. Or invited them, then changed our minds at last moment. 

Agree with other four who should be pushing for a fairer distribution of TV money outwith Glasgow.

You only needed a draw as well...

[starryfish]

3 hours ago, Andy_123 said:

List of domestic football league broadcast deals by country - Wikipedia

No wonder we get less tv money than other countries, look at how little games we sell each season in comparison.

How does selling the rights to games work? Do the SPFL say we have X amount of games for sale, or do the broadcasters come in and say we want X amount of games?

Sky didn't even broadcast live all of the 48 games that they purchased for last season.

[ericblack4boss]

26 minutes ago, NEM said:

Stewart Milne isn’t the club 

The club voted it was voting on behalf of the club , nothing stopping Colgate coming out now and saying the club doesnt  now believe they were correct to vote that way

[shut up meg]

1 hour ago, Dynamo said:

You only needed a draw as well...

And Craig Levein shit his pants the night before the game.

 

[Wester Hailes Skins]

6 hours ago, afc1903mad said:

Well lets see what the Hearts fans voice say: -

Surely £15 a ticket will mean a reduction of revenue for Hearts, unless you're moving to Murrayfield to get twice the amount in.

If the FoH have the same mentality, how long till Hearts are back in administration?

Actually. Tynecastle pitch could be changed E/W instead of N/S. New stand would then be a 7,300 stand behind the goal. Pitch made bigger. Need to acquire surrounding land especially behind Wheatfield. 

Lots of planning permission and land purchases needed. Plus investment of FOH and Mr Anderson plus possible naming rights invesrment.

But we could arguably build towards a 35k stadium with proper Corporate. Assuming away end of c4k we'd need to have 31k Hearts fans. To fill that we'd need cheaper pricing. 19k capacity plus ludicrous pricing is strangling us. 

At least I'd like to see ambition to grow. And even if 10k empty seats for some games, it'd still be 25k. I think bigger crowds plus Corporate and increased match day sales and walk ups would see us above current income levels. 

The guys at Hearts and Hibs aren't here to maintain Status Quo. (Left that open for a joke...). 

[afc1903mad]

6 minutes ago, Wester Hailes Skins said:

Actually. Tynecastle pitch could be changed E/W instead of N/S. New stand would then be a 7,300 stand behind the goal. Pitch made bigger. Need to acquire surrounding land especially behind Wheatfield. 

Lots of planning permission and land purchases needed. Plus investment of FOH and Mr Anderson plus possible naming rights invesrment.

But we could arguably build towards a 35k stadium with proper Corporate. Assuming away end of c4k we'd need to have 31k Hearts fans. To fill that we'd need cheaper pricing. 19k capacity plus ludicrous pricing is strangling us. 

At least I'd like to see ambition to grow. And even if 10k empty seats for some games, it'd still be 25k. I think bigger crowds plus Corporate and increased match day sales and walk ups would see us above current income levels. 

The guys at Hearts and Hibs aren't here to maintain Status Quo. (Left that open for a joke...). 

It’s quite funny to read that. Again, if the FoH have that view, then how long till the next administration?

I watched the Edinburgh derby game last week. Quite a good game to watch despite the lack of goals.

I also noticed lots of pockets of empty seats and not just the red zones, so do you really think you’d fill a 35,000 seater regularly?

[redstrummer]

get booze back in the stadiums apart from the arse cheek games 

[PondHopper]

Ya'll want my greenbacks

[Betty Swallicks]

6 hours ago, ericblack4boss said:

11-1 is still there because of the cowardice of a particular club that plays in red and is based in Aberdeen

Not the club. Milne.

Pity Cormack didn't come on the scene a few years earlier and bombed out Milne and McInnes earlier.

 

[ericblack4boss]

1 hour ago, Betty Swallicks said:

Not the club. Milne.

Pity Cormack didn't come on the scene a few years earlier and bombed out Milne and McInnes earlier.

 

Now when this vote was taken that fucking cretin Fraser was on the board , he could have told Milne to vote it through im sorry that makes it worse like it or not the club has to take responsibility for its own actions,  and it made a fuck up of that and it has never even come out and apologised

[NEM]

2 hours ago, Wester Hailes Skins said:

Actually. Tynecastle pitch could be changed E/W instead of N/S. New stand would then be a 7,300 stand behind the goal. Pitch made bigger. Need to acquire surrounding land especially behind Wheatfield. 

Lots of planning permission and land purchases needed. Plus investment of FOH and Mr Anderson plus possible naming rights invesrment.

But we could arguably build towards a 35k stadium with proper Corporate. Assuming away end of c4k we'd need to have 31k Hearts fans. To fill that we'd need cheaper pricing. 19k capacity plus ludicrous pricing is strangling us. 

At least I'd like to see ambition to grow. And even if 10k empty seats for some games, it'd still be 25k. I think bigger crowds plus Corporate and increased match day sales and walk ups would see us above current income levels. 

The guys at Hearts and Hibs aren't here to maintain Status Quo. (Left that open for a joke...). 

???

 

Don’t sniff glue kids 

[NEM]

21 minutes ago, ericblack4boss said:

Now when this vote was taken that fucking cretin Fraser was on the board , he could have told Milne to vote it through im sorry that makes it worse like it or not the club has to take responsibility for its own actions,  and it made a fuck up of that and it has never even come out and apologised

Milnes puppet