http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/aberdeen/279584-clydesdale-bank-to-end-scottish-premier-league-sponsorship/

 

Not good news with the Sky/ESPN deal expiring soon too, not really the best financial climate to be renegotiating or looking for new deals.

 

Clydesdale Bank's title sponsorship of the Scottish Premier League will come to a close at the end of the 2012/13 season, it has been announced.

 

The bank have sponsored the league since 2007, after the Bank of Scotland's deal expired. An option to extend the deal for an additional year has not been taken up.

 

Clydesdale Bank's original deal was worth £8 million per season to the SPL, with no figure given upon the contract's extension in 2010.

 

The SPL's current television deal with Sky Sports and ESPN, which is worth £13 million per season, is due to expire at the end of the current 2011/12 season. Sky and ESPN have the option to extend the deal for another two seasons at the same rate.

 

“The SPL and Clydesdale Bank have enjoyed an extremely successful partnership and the relationship has gone from strength to strength over the years," SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster said in a statement.

 

"I would like to thank the Clydesdale Bank for their support and commitment to Scottish football and look forward to working alongside the Clydesdale Bank to ensure the final 18 months of the partnership continue that great success.

 

“Work also now begins on seeking a new title sponsor for the foremost sporting competition in Scotland from season 2013/14.

 

"The Scottish Premier League has consistently demonstrated that it provides terrific value to its sponsors. I am sure that success will be important in the work we now undertake.”

 

Steve Reid, Retail Director of the Clydesdale Bank, added: “It has been a privilege to support Scottish football over what will be a six-year period.

 

"As well as supporting our national sport, we entered into the sponsorship to raise awareness of our brand and it is fair to say we will have achieved more than we could have hoped for.

 

“However, we believe that at the end of our current deal in 2013 the time will be right to hand the partnership over and, in making the announcement now, we are giving the SPL 18 months in which to find the league’s next sponsor.

 

“We remain firmly committed to the remaining period of the sponsorship and look forward to working with the SPL throughout this time.”

I have never felt they have sat nicely as sponsors. Even things like the CBfootball website was underfunded and could have done so much more and done better for them with a cleaner layout and better content.

interesting to see what the clubs do when the sky deal runs out

 

Sky know it is a buyers market so could have the whole league over a barrel. If the deal was half of what we currently get would they tell them to fuck off and concentrate on getting the lost revenue from attendances or would they grease up and take it like the bitches most football clubs in europe are?

 

Given my interest in the game has been steadily declinining since the first SPL tv deal (6:05pm sunday kick offs) Im beginning to wonder if a return to the old days of saturday night sportscene and sunday afternoon scotsport might make me take notice again and would it actually kill our league or just force out the deadwood?

Further to toms post:

 

The SPL have postponed a vote on a new TV deal for the top flight until the end of year - despite chief executive Neil Doncaster's claim in July that a decision would be announced this month. (Mail on Sunday)

 

That because no one has shown interest and why spl tv was brought up again recently?

 

Given my interest in the game has been steadily declinining since the first SPL tv deal (6:05pm sunday kick offs) Im beginning to wonder if a return to the old days of saturday night sportscene and sunday afternoon scotsport might make me take notice again

 

I agree with this part as i used to love the football on a Saturday night.

Does anyone remember the reason the weekend TV football was stopped

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15824173.stm

 

The Scottish Premier League has announced a new five-year contract extension with Sky Sports and ESPN for the live rights to matches.

 

Each broadcaster will continue to show 30 live games per season across the United Kingdom.

 

The new agreement will run from season 2012/13 and BBC Scotland has learned it will net top-flight clubs around £80m.

 

The SPL did not reveal details, saying only that the deal improves on the £65m five-year deal agreed in 2009.

 

The league's chief executive Neil Doncaster said: "Sky Sports and ESPN are two of the biggest names in sports broadcasting and the SPL has enjoyed an excellent relationship with both broadcasters over the course of the current contract, a period which has seen a 28% increase in viewing figures.

 

In the current economic climate, announcing an increase in value is excellent news for our clubs

 

Sky and ESPN stepped in to provide live SPL coverage when Setanta went out of business in the middle of their more lucrative rights deal.

 

The SPL had employed consultants IMG Media to instigate a feasibility study into the launch of their own television channel but that idea has been shelved.

 

The news comes less than two weeks after Clydesdale Bank announced they would end their sponsorship of the competition at the end of next season.

Does that 28% increase in viewing figures co-incide with a 28% drop in attendances?

Attendances last year were only 2% down, apparently.

I agree with this part as i used to love the football on a Saturday night.

Does anyone remember the reason the weekend TV football was stopped

 

"Too many fucking immigrants causing problems" would be the majority opinion.

"Too many fucking immigrants causing problems" would be the majority opinion.

 

The majority opinion is you are a fucking troll

Now you have looked smart to your mates you can go fuck yourself 

And before any jobs worth mod gets onto me look at who started it.

The majority opinion is you are a fucking troll

Now you have looked smart to your mates you can go fuck yourself 

And before any jobs worth mod gets onto me look at who started it.

 

Troll? What is that?

 

Where are the stats that evidence your opinion?

League expansion appears to be out the window, fans sold down the river yet again

 

http://m.guardian.co.uk/ms/p/gnm/op/sSnzKDmMMaIYHl-pLyzl9OA/view.m?id=15&gid=football/2011/nov/21/spl-tv-deal-sky-espn&cat=football

The SPL's chief executive, Neil Doncaster, stressed that a bigger division is not financially viable. "There is no room to manoeuvre in terms of expanding. Fourteen teams might potentially work in terms of having a split league and retaining four Old firm games. Maybe. That would be feasible.

 

Have the SPL gone and guarenteed Sky 4 Old Firm games per season? Will the league suddenly be restructured when one doesnt make the top 6?

Have the SPL gone and guarenteed Sky 4 Old Firm games per season? Will the league suddenly be restructured when one doesnt make the top 6?

 

Good point! Whilst an unlikely situation, lets face it, the referees would make sure they clawed back enough points. It would be interesting to see what would happen.

You would assume Sky wouldn't sign this deal if there was a risk of Rangers being relegated to Division Three.

You would assume Sky wouldn't sign this deal if there was a risk of Rangers being relegated to Division Three.

 

Looks like they must have given a guarantee that what ever guise Huns come back in after administration from will get instant admission to SPL.

 

Also reading between the lines this looks like the end of SFAs suggestion that SPL and SFL should merge and share money between all the clubs.