SPL urges â??Gang of Tenâ?? chairmen to back down - league sponsors have been scared off

[ian1964 10,417]

SPL chairman Ralph Topping today appealed to the Gang of Ten to ditch their bid to scrap the leagueâ??s voting structure â?? because he believes the unrest is driving away sponsors.

 

Topping reckons two potential backers have walked away from lucrative deals with the governing body due to fears over the breakaway groupâ??s controversial plans.

 

The 10 top-flight clubs outwith Celtic and Rangers want the 11-1 majority needed to force through change to be reduced to 9-3 â?? so breaking the Old Firmâ??s control on decision-making.

 

The thorny issue will be voted on at the governing bodyâ??s general meeting on April 12 and Celtic and Rangers â?? represented by their administrators â?? will oppose the move. Now Topping has written to the rebel clubs asking them to ditch their proposals because he feels it is damaging the leagueâ??s financial prospects at a challenging time. He said: â??Having spoken candidly to Rangersâ?? administrators, they have made it clear to me that they will not be supporting the membersâ?? requisitioned resolution on 12 April.

 

â??On the basis that it appears likely the resolution will not achieve the 11 votes in favour that it requires and there is now some damage being done to the leagueâ??s commercial prospects and, by implication, your own clubâ??s potential future distributions, I would ask you to consider whether you would, especially given current circumstances and uncertainties, wish to withdraw the resolution.

 

â??It would seem to me progress is far more likely to be made by 12 clubs engaged in debate about the future than by forcing a vote on a resolution that, on the face of it, has no apparent prospect of success.â?

 

He added: â??On the commercial front, I am aware of two companies who were strongly attracted to the idea of sponsoring the SPL when Clydesdale Bankâ??s tenure comes to an end in summer 2013. Both were viewed as serious potential bidders for the title rights.

 

â??Unfortunately, they have withdrawn their interest in the light of recent developments in the SPL.

 

â??It will not have escaped your notice Sky and ESPN have so far failed to return draft contracts sent to them in 2011.

 

â??I have spoken to one of our live broadcast partners who is concerned about current uncertainties with Rangers and who at the time of our conversation was anxious to learn more about recent talk of clubs resigning en masse from the SPL.â?

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/spl-urges-gang-of-ten-chairmen-to-back-down-amid-claims-that-league-sponsors-have-been-scared-off-1.1157076

[mmckgers 4]

Remind me again, who doesn't need Rangers?

[Guest Xander1873]

In short "remember your place" its better to be fed by scraps from our table than to starve on principle.

[Zappa 0]

In short "remember your place" its better to be fed by scraps from our table than to starve on principle.

 

"scraps from our table" ??

 

The other SPL clubs outwith Rangers & Celtic get a pretty fair deal, all things considered.