Rangers Broadcasting Rights: Is it Buying or Blackmail?

[andy steel 0]

News over the weekend that the SPL would be seizing Rangers media rights were met with predictable hostility from bluenoses, myself included, who saw it as the most brazen act of hypocrisy during a summer in which that commodity has flooded the market.

 

David Longmuir, the SFL boss, has calmed things a touch by saying that the SPL's bid for tv rights will be considered along with all the others, while suggesting that although Rangers, as a new member, are not due monies, they would probably get some. Not so much seizing rights as paying for them makes quite a difference. What does it matter to us where the money comes from, as long as we get some?

 

As usual, if it seems straightforward it most likely isn't.

 

The SPL's 'bid' seems like one of Craig Whyte's financial merry-go-rounds. If, the story goes, we sell media rights to the SPL, in return they must drop the dual contract investigation. All this achieved, the SPL sell football to Sky (eg), have ready cash to hand and are thus able to pay the SFL their £2m annual payment required by law.

 

This is weird.

 

To pay the SFL the SPL will sell SFL football. Would it not be more sensible for the SFL to sell their football, make money from it, and take their legally owed £2m payment as well? The counter to that is SPL clubs will go to the wall without a TV deal including Rangers, and that the £2m will disappear. Well, so what? From a business point of view, should the SPL implode even more than it has already, the SFL will be in an even stronger position to sell TV rights, considering they would have both Old Firm clubs in their leagues.

 

Their £2m payment, plus whatever the SPL are offering just now, would pale into insignificance. Remember the deal due to be signed next season, for coverage of a rank rotten league during a chronic recession, is in total worth £80m. What possible carrot is there to the SFL to acede to this latest, desperate attempt by the SPL to prop up their rotten edifice - one which we certainly helped to create, which I bitterly regret now!

 

All well and good from a Bluenose point of view. The demise of an SPL team won't keep me awake at night for one second. So where's the beef?

 

There is a link between the selling of TV rights, the dropping of the dual contracts investigation and the granting of a license to play in Scotland. This sucks.

 

As regards the dual contracts, I may be in a minority of one but I want it examined and finished. Regardless of outcome. It shouldn't be shunted off into the crypt, only to be hauled out of its lair anytime someone wants to have a kick at us.

 

As regards the license, it should be granted or not granted on football grounds, not because the SPL want a favour done.

 

It stinks of attempted blackmail and smoke filled rooms, frankly. You'd have thought Craig Whyte, the Inglorious Basterd himself, would have acted as a warning to other people that shoddy business practice was, just maybe, not a great model to follow. Amazing as it is, it seems the SPL and SFA are attempting to out Whyte Whyte in the corruption stakes. Rangers should have nothing to do with it.

[Zappa 0]

Just started this new thread for you and published your article Andy.

 

http://www.gersnet.co.uk/

[UCF2008 0]

As much as we're all for giving our new friends in the SFL the benefit of the doubt with some declaring them the victims of this fiasco while others stick them on a pedestal as champions of sporting integrity, the fact of the matter is that everyone's in it for themselves.

 

The SFL and it's member clubs saw the opportunity to steal the cash cow by denying us entry to Div1 and seized it. The SPL were stupid enough to give them that opportunity because they were so arrogant as to believe that the SFL would do their bidding.

 

The SPL's now throwing it's weight around in every way it possibly can to rectify the situation and protect itself from financial meltdown.

 

The truth is nobody cares about Rangers except Rangers. Everyone else only cares about the money.

[Ergatrude 0]

I would like to see the Dual contract investigation carried out. Since we are starting from scratch, I want it to be open & with no hidden past & no potential liabilities in the future.

 

I'd also like to do this with dignity, so for me, all grudges are dropped towards all other teams & chairmen & journalists who have kicked us while we were down.

 

I cannot be fucked hating anymore, I want to be a supporter of my club & that is all.

[Ergatrude 0]

Just realised I never actually answered the question.

 

IMO, the SPL are currently milking the cash cow that they voted out. The SFL should put their foot down. The revenue that each club in SFL3 will generate this season due to our away support will surely be worth more than the £2m that would be split up amongst all 3 leagues. Take that, & then split the TV money that they could generate for The Rangers games & I'd imagine they would be better off financially than the £2m that the SPL are offering.

 

Could be wrong though, I usually am

[Guest Dutchy]

With Doncaster playing hard ball with this 'deal', it seems to me there's no room for the much promised re-constuction scenario, and money rules as far as the bum in the SPL are concerned.

[Zappa 0]

Here's one of the comments to your article that I didn't authorize:

 

We deserve to be in the 3rd Div and we should lose the titles we gained during the dual contracts scandal, But lets all remember we are a new club and no longer the rangers we loved so we don't have any titles except in our memories

[Tumshie RFC 0]

The SFL seem to be the only organisation in the Scottish game who seem to have their house in order. Perhaps they should be the ones running the game instead of Doncaster and Lawwell's puppet over at the SFA.

[TheWeeBlueDevil 0]

Here's one of the comments to your article that I didn't authorize

 

We deserve to be in the 3rd Div and we should lose the titles we gained during the dual contracts scandal, But lets all remember we are a new club and no longer the rangers we loved so we don't have any titles except in our memories:

 

Timmys wet dream .

[the gunslinger 3,366]

Here's one of the comments to your article that I didn't authorize:

 

sorry about that one I was in a huff last night.