SPFL strike deal for live screening of all six Premiership play-off games
BT Sport to broadcast battle for top status
THE Scottish Professional Football League has struck a sixmatch deal with BT Sport to screen this season’s play-offs.
The broadcaster has agreed to show both legs of the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, while BBC Scotland will provide live radio commentary and TV highlights.
The SPFL has also confirmed the play-off schedule, with the decisive shoot-out set for Sunday, 31 May.
Rangers let second spot in the Championship slip from their grasp on Saturday by drawing 2-2 with Falkirk. That means that unless they can beat Hearts and Hibernian lose to Falkirk in their final regular-season fixtures next Saturday, Rangers will have to defeat Queen of the South over two legs to keep their promotion dream alive. Hibs would be next up for the victor, with the prize of a place in the winnertakes-all clash against the team finishing second bottom of the Premiership up for grabs.
As things stand, Queens would host Rangers at Palmerston at 5:30pm on Saturday, 9 May, the Ibrox return scheduled for 3:30pm on Sunday, 17 May.
The winner of that tie would then host Hibs at 7:45pm on Wednesday, 20 May, while Easter Road would stage the semifinal second leg at 12pm on Saturday, 23 May.
In the first leg of the final, the Championship contender will host the 11th-placed Premiership side – likely to be Motherwell – Premiership Play-off quarter-final, 1st leg (BT SPORT 1) Wednesday 13 May Championship play-off final, 1st leg (BBC ALBA) Saturday 16 May Championship play-off final, 2nd leg (BBC ALBA) Sunday 17 May (3.30pm) Premiership Play-off quarter-final, 2nd leg (BT SPORT 2) at 7:45pm on Thursday, 28 May before the top-flight team then welcome their lower-league opponents back to their ground for the crucial 3pm kick-off on 31 May. Thursday 28 May (7.45pm) Premiership Play-off final, 1st leg (BT SPORT 1) Sunday 31 May (3pm) Premiership Play-off final, 2nd leg (BT SPORT 1)
(Championship fixtures TBC)
SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “We’re delighted this exclusive deal with BT Sport allows us to move our live TV coverage on to another level. Last season the final was broad- cast live but for this season we will see all six Scottish Premiership Play-off matches live on BT Sport.
“The Scottish Premiership Play-offs have breathed new life into Scottish football and we await another six massive games this May with both BT Sport and BBC Scotland.”
Simon Green, sports channels director at BT Sport, added: “BT Sport is proud to enhance its partnership with Scottish football.
“Audiences for our SPFL televised coverage are growing and our exclusive televised coverage of the Play-offs builds on our offering to Scottish football fans.”
As well as BBC Scotland’s live radio commentary and TV highlights of the Scottish Premiership play-offs, BBC ALBA will be screening both legs of the Scottish Championship play-off final. British Eurosport Sport programmes from 7.30am, including at: 10.00 Live Snooker: World Championship. 1.00 Live Cycling. 2.30 Live Snooker: World Championship. 5.30 Snooker: World Championship. 6.00 Cycling. 7.00 Live Snooker: World Championship. 10.00 Snooker: World Championship. 11.30 Cycling. 12.30 Close. BT Sport 1 Sport programmes from 6.00am, including at: 11.45 Sportshub. 12.00 Serie A. 1.00 SPFL Highlights. 1.30 World Of Football. 2.00 The Ultimate Fishing Show. 2.30 Premier League Review. 3.30 French Ligue 1. 4.30 German Cup Football. 5.30 Serie A. 6.30 Premier League World. 7.00 Football Tonight. 7.30 Live Conference Football. 10.00 Sportshub. 10.15 UFC – Ultimate Insider. 11.45 Premier League World. 12.15 Sportshub. 12.30 The Ultimate Fishing Show. 1.00 The Fishing TV Show. 1.30 Last Week, This Week. BT Sport 2 Sport programmes from 6.00am, including at: 12.00 A-league Football Highlights. 1.00 DTM Review Show. 4.00 Football Classics. 5.00 Wild Spirits. 5.30 Better Than Four. 6.00 The Fishing TV Show. 7.00 Last Week, This Week. 7.15 Game Of The Week. 7.45 Live Serie A. 9.45 Baker & Kelly’s VSPO. 10.45 Last Week, This Week. 11.00 30 For 30. 12.30 Boxing Tonight.