League pulls plug on Sturgeon free Old Firm game plea
League boss rejects Sturgeon’s plea for Old Firm derby
SCOTTISH football boss Neil Doncaster last night pulled the plug on Nicola Sturgeon’s plea for the Old Firm derby to be broadcast to the nation for free.
The First Minister had called on broadcaster Sky Sports to waive a fee to let fans watch tomorrow’s showdown at home to helpp stopp the spread of coronavirus.
She believes a one-off freebie for those who can’t afford a satellite package would remove temptation to have large gatherings – or cross the border to watchh the game at pubs in Cumbria or Covid-19 hotspot Blackpool.
Yesterday, in her daily briefing, Sturgeon said: “I would encourage Sky Sports this weekend to make the Rangers v Celtic match free to view for supporters. It’s a small but important contribution they could make to help keep people safe.
“It would enable people to watch the match in the comfort and safety of their own homes and reduce the temptation those who don’t have access to pay-to-view services might have to go and watch the match somewhere else.”
But SPFL CEO Doncaster killed the idea stone dead after having urgent talks with Sky Sports.
He added the broadcaster should
not be strong-armeda by politicians into giving away the game for free afterr striking a deal to Scottish plough football millions to secure into exclusive rights for one of the world’s most sought-after fixtures. Doncaster said: “It’s unreasonable for anyone to expect Sky Sports to give something away for nothing,
“They are paying £125million over five years to broadcast Scottish football and, clearly, this match will be one of the key moments in the sporting calendar.
“We hope that everyone watches the game and enjoys it in their own home. We understand that not everyone can afford an annual subscription to Sky Sports but it is possible to buy a day pass to all of their channels from Now TV for less than £10.
“I would suggest that’s a far cheaper and safer alternative to taking a day trip to Blackpool.”
Doncaster also pleaded with fans not to breach lockdown regulations and risk football being dragged back before Holyrood after Sturgeon’s warning, in August, that highprofile rule breaks had put the game on a “yellow card”.
He added: “It’s crucial that everyone recognises the eyes of the world will be on Scottish football this weekend. In fact, more than 150 countries will be broadcasting the Old Firm game, which makes it a truly global event.
“What we want is for them to be talking about the football on the pitch and not focusing on other issues away from the football. It is really important that everyone acts in a responsible manner.”
Earlier yesterday, Doncaster hinted that the return of supporters to stadiums in Scotland could be set back if fans step out of line.
He said: “A huge amount of hard work has gone into ensuring a safe
return to competitive action for Scottish football and we are all desperate for fans to get back into stadia as soon as possible.
“In recent weeks we’ve seen how quickly the virus can re-emerge, highlighting the need for continued vigilance.
“Given the clear evidence that household mixing brings the highest risk of spreading the infection, we’re urging supporters not to congregate in houses to watch matches.
“Fans should also be aware that travelling from central belt health board areas covered by additional measures to other areas in Scotland to watch games in licensed premises is a breach of the guidelines.
“Likewise, we echo the message from police forces i n Eng l and that attempting to circumvent Scottish rules by travelling south of the Border to watch matches in pubs would be completely irresponsible and could result in significant fines.”
Scotland’s interim chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith said: “We know it has been really hard for supporters to not be able to attend matches but we also know the highest risk places for transmission are where people gather together.
“The less chance we give this virus to spread through communities, the faster we can contain it and start to ease restrictions – allowing the quicker return of supporters to stadiums.”
A TV day pass is a cheaper and safer alternative to a day trip to Blackpool NEIL DONCASTER ON REQUEST FOR OLD FIRM TELLY FREEBIE