Scottish football has suffered a big blow after the Premiership effectively ruled out Celtic or Rangers ever joining the competition. The Old Firm have been eyeing Premiership membership as a possible escape route from their financial troubles for some time. However, Premiership clubs voted heavily against a proposal to admit them. There was a recognition that the political and regulatory challenges were likely to prove insurmountable, but also that the commercial value would not be that great.
Scottish football has suffered a big blow after the Premiership effectively ruled out Celtic or Rangers ever joining the competition. The Old Firm have been eyeing Premiership membership as a possible escape route from their financial troubles for some time. However, Premiership clubs voted heavily against a proposal to admit them. There was a recognition that the political and regulatory challenges were likely to prove insurmountable, but also that the commercial value would not be that great. Although Celtic and Rangers enjoy huge support in Scotland and among expatriates, the consensus was that the commercial gains would be relatively small at a time when the league’s emphasis is on expansion in growing global markets. Ralph Topping, the new chairman of the Scottish Premier League, has admitted that Scottish clubs lack a clear vision about their place in the world. The income of £16m from broadcasting and sponsorship rights generated through the SPL this season compares unfavourably with the £29.5m received by the bottom placed clubs in the English Premier League in 2007-8. Rangers are in acute financial trouble, having moved from a pre-tax profit of £7.2m in 2007-8 to a pre-tax loss of £12.7m. Scottish hopes may now reside in Uefa creating an Atlantic League for smaller European countries.
The Premiership had not ruled out the idea of a 28-club league split into two divisions with no promotion or relegation from the second tier. This controversial proposal, which would represent a move towards a more American style competition, finds little favour with fans but is to explored over the next year. However, the idea of admitting a Dublin franchise into the league appears to have been dropped along with the Scottish proposal. This was originally mooted when it was suggested that Wimbledon could move to Dublin.
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