SPFL discuss new broadcasting deal with digital giants

The Scottish Professional Football League has held discussions with Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google in search of the best broadcast deal for Scottish football.

Meetings have been held with the digital giants and Neil Doncaster, SPFL chief executive, hopes to announce a new deal by the end of the year, according to The Herald.

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The organisation has also met with current broadcasters BT and Sky, whose contract runs until the end of the 2019/2020 season.

Dundee United's Willo Flood had words for the BT Sport cameras. Picture: SNS/Ross ParkerDundee United's Willo Flood had words for the BT Sport cameras. Picture: SNS/Ross Parker
Dundee United's Willo Flood had words for the BT Sport cameras. Picture: SNS/Ross Parker

The aim is to use the recent wave of positivity to exert a record deal. The current contract is worth around £21 million a season to cover 60 Premiership games.

Les Gray, vice-chairman of Hamilton Academical, told The Herald: “I have been at lots of meetings at Sky and BT Sports with the SPFL board and it was all positive. We will go out to tender, the new board will determined when that is, and I’m sure that will be this year.

“I can tell you that Neil has met with our TV rights specialist, a guy called Phil Lines, and in turn they have met with Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google to name a few. They have reported back to the clubs in a confidential manner.

“It is now all about whether these people are ready to come to the party when we go out to tender. They have dipped their toe in the way so we shall see what happens.

“I wouldn’t want to put a number on it but it needs to be a big number to excite us and drive the product forward.”

The SPFL recently ripped up its existing TV deal with MP & Silva to sell its overseas broadcast rights after the company defaulted on “a number of payments due to the SPFL, and other leagues around the world”.