Doncaster thrilled as SPFL haul in £39.5m

THE SPFL last night announced record turnover of more than £39.5million for season 2021-22. Payments to clubs were also the highest in the 132-year history of professional football in the country, with a total of £29.7m given to teams playing in Scotland’s top four divisions. That sum is up five per cent from £28.4m the previous year. League chiefs stated back in August that they are targeting £50m of revenue by 2029. Additional payments from last season, including prize money and television rights from the Premier Sports Cup, totalled £2.78m, up nine per cent from £2.6m. The accounts also showed overseas income was up five per cent while aggregate staff remuneration was down six per cent. Welcoming the news, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster (below) predicted a bright future for the league in the wake of signing a new £150m broadcasting deal with Sky Sports this week. Doncaster said: ‘These record results are extremely encouraging for our game and reflect the positive impact of the cinch title sponsorship, the largest single sponsorship deal in the history of the league, and the ongoing support that we continue to enjoy from Sky Sports and our other broadcast partners. ‘It’s also important to recognise the outstanding commitment of our small team at the SPFL, which works tirelessly on behalf of our 42 member clubs, and deserves huge credit for the way league operations continued through the pandemic. ‘With two of our clubs in the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time since season 2007/08, and on the back of our recentlyannounced long-term contract with Sky Sports, the SPFL can look forward with real confidence to the years ahead.’ SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan added: ‘These results, of course, reflect the resilience and performance of the 42 member clubs of the SPFL — and their hugely committed fans — in ensuring that the SPFL remains the most dramatic, passionate and exciting league in European football.’ The SPFL also confirmed Calum Beattie has been promoted to the role of chief operating officer. Beattie has been working as the SPFL’s company secretary for the past two years. He said: ‘There is a host of positive and exciting opportunities in the pipeline and I’m looking forward to assisting the chief executive in delivering these in my new role.’