Change is good for the game, says Gray

Hamilton chairman Les Gray has backed a shake-up of Scottish football that will see a revamped League Cup group stage and bonus-point system, and increased sponsorship and TV deals that will benefit clubs.

A new TV deal with BT Sport will see Scottish clubs receiving around £8 million over four years, and earlier this month the SPFL agreed a deal with the BBC worth £10.6 million over the same time period.

Betfred have also backed the Scottish League Cup over the next three seasons.

This all comes after Scottish football’s hierarchy announced a group stage format was being introduced to the League Cup that will involve all 38 teams not involved in European competition, plus the winners of the Highland and Lowland leagues.

Eight groups of five teams will play each other in a round-robin format with three points for a win and a point for a draw – but all drawn games go to a penalty shoot-out, with the winner given a bonus point. The final also reverts to a November slot.

A three-week winter break has also been introduced in January.

Gray feels that the changes are necessary and is delighted with the distribution of finances. He said: “The League Cup format has a better look and it’s good that it’s going to be finished by the end of the year.

“It’s exciting and it was probably the right thing to do, so it’s interesting.

“The league has a sponsor and Rangers coming into the Premiership means it’s another team that’s going to be difficult to play against, and overall the league will be tough but exciting. I don’t think there is anything much between eight or even nine of the teams.

“The SPFL have been working hard to increase revenue, they have Ladbrokes sponsoring the league, they have got a better deal out of the League Cup and from SKY, BT Sport and BBC, and that all means there is significantly more money available now.

“That is encouraging, and every club gets a better distribution of that.”