CROWD PLEASER
Rangers chief hopes some fans will be back at Ibrox in August
RANGERS managing director Stewart Robertson last night suggested partial crowds at Ibrox in August is a possibility — as the SPFL confirmed a ‘virtual season ticket’ deal to live stream games.
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack said yesterday he hopes fans locked out during the Covid-19 shutdown will start coming back to Pittodrie by November — with full houses potentially following in January 2021.
However, Robertson believes supporters could begin to return to games even earlier than that.
The Ibrox chief said: ‘At the moment, we are working on the basis that the season is going to start at the beginning of August, probably behind closed doors initially. Maybe with small crowds.
‘I know there’s a lot of work going on with the joint-response group set up by
the SFA and SPFL. We have been very prominently represented on those sub groups.’
Sportsmail revealed yesterday that an agreement with Sky Sports on virtual season tickets was imminent after talks between the 12 top-flight outfits and
SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster.
Clubs will broadcast live footage via their online channels to virtual season-ticket holders, while broadcast-rights holders Sky will also show 48 live matches per season as part of their new £125million five-year deal with the SPFL.
In a statement, the SPFL said: ‘The Scottish Professional Football League and Sky Sports have agreed terms that provide a framework for the top flight of Scottish football to resume in August.
‘The Scottish Premiership clubs will create a ‘virtual season ticket’ for the 2020/21 season, providing an alternative source of matchday income while social distancing measures prevent fans from attending matches.
‘During the 2020/21 season, each Premiership club will be able to sell a package to season-ticket holders to watch all home games.’
The SPFL and Sky have also reached settlement for games that were not broadcast in season 2019/20 due to the coronavirus shutdown and subsequent early calling of the Premiership, with Celtic winning nine in a row and Hearts being relegated.
A clawback of £5m could have been due but Sportsmail understands the final settlement figure is closer to £1.5m and will be spread over the course of the five-year deal.
SPFL chief Doncaster said: ‘This is an innovative and pragmatic solution to the challenges posed by Covid-19 and I’m grateful for the flexibility shown by our clubs and by Sky Sports.
‘This agreement means that any liability for games not delivered during season 2019/20 has now been settled, on terms that reflect Sky’s status as a committed partner and supporter of Scottish football.’
Rangers chief Robertson last night said the details of the Ibrox club’s own streaming plan were still to be finalised.
But he told Rangers TV: ‘We will ensure that every season ticket holder has access to Rangers TV to watch home matches, regardless of if they are a Sky subscriber or not.’
Celtic chief executive Peter
Lawwell last night praised the SPFL, Sky and Doncaster and confirmed detailed plans for the coming season at Parkhead will be released in the coming days.
He said: ‘I have always said our priority has been to look at ways in which football can resume and get our supporters back safely to Celtic Park as soon as possible.
‘Until we can welcome our fans back, we want them to stay as close to the club and be part of everything we do.
‘These proposals are great news. The access will be available while social distancing measures prevent fans from attending matches and will mean that our season-ticket holders, exclusively, will be part of every SPFL home game.
‘I would like to thank Neil
Doncaster, the SPFL board and Sky for the work they have done in bringing this arrangement together.’
Welcoming the news, Aberdeen chairman Cormack pledged to explore the possibility of also streaming the Dons’ away matches.
He said: ‘Given the current circumstances we find ourselves in, it is an excellent deal and we appreciate Sky’s constructive, partnership approach.
‘Under this deal, Aberdeen will be able to offer virtual access to season-ticket holders for all closed-door home games and will continue to work with our colleagues at fellow Premiership clubs to explore potential arrangements to show away games.
‘There will be costs involved for us in implementing this broadcast deal but, allied with the suggested timetable for getting back to football, it gives us more certainty to develop a virtual package that will offer our season-ticket holders and seasonal corporate clients the exclusive opportunity to watch the team in action once again.
‘We’re really excited about getting back to training later this month with a view to closed-door games kicking off at the start of August and, whilst we appreciate we are operating under everchanging circumstances, we’re preparing, and hoping, to return to Pittodrie with partial crowds from November or December and full crowds in January 2021.’
Motherwell chief executive Alan Burrows said fans will soon be provided with details of how virtual season tickets will work in practice at Fir Park.
He added: ‘I hope this clarity will provide further incentive to supporters to now buy their season ticket if they can.’
Full stream ahead for live games EXCLUSIVE By MARK WILSON