It’s no surprise that, following yesterday’s game, the media asked Brendan Rodgers about Celtic’s decision to turn down the Premier Sports deal, which would have provided two additional televised home games. They’re clearly trying to stir up some controversy or find an angle to criticise the club, but they’ve failed spectacularly.
Rodgers fully supports the club’s decision, and it’s telling that, across the Celtic blogosphere yesterday, the consensus was clear: everyone is backing the club’s stance.
For once, the Celtic board has put the fans first, prioritising them over commercial considerations and the whims of TV companies.
I hope this won’t be the last time.
But the club could still be doing more. Take, for instance, the recent women’s Champions League match against Twente. That should have been televised. Had it been the Ibrox club playing, I’m certain BBC Alba would have shown it.
There’s also no reason why CelticTV couldn’t have aired the game.
CelticTV did provide audio commentary, and subscribers can now watch the full match. I mentioned before that I would cover the Inside the Huddle documentary, and I’ve decided to fold that into a larger piece on CelticTV, which I’ll post tomorrow.
They aired the Sligo game last night and have a new documentary coming out today on the Stateside Celts, which looks promising.
It’s clear CelticTV has evolved significantly from what it was last season, and that’s a good thing. I’ve spoken before about how impressed I am with the changes, and I continue to be. I recently watched the highlights of the Ross County game and the post-match interviews, and if they’re going to cover matches in such depth regularly, then I’m all for it.
That said, there’s a lot of content still missing. Why aren’t the B team games available to subscribers? Why aren’t the women’s games? There might be contractual reasons, but it’s time to evaluate whether those deals are still worth anything.
If Celtic wants to expand its online content, the B team and women’s team are perfect opportunities. The preseason games and friendlies were reason enough for me to subscribe in the first place, but the more content, the better. I’m excited about where CelticTV is heading.
If you ask me if I’d support a subscription price increase to see more content, I’d say yes. If you ask if I know people who would buy a virtual season ticket, the answer is again yes.
As the current TV deals continue to embarrass the SPFL and Celtic, I believe someone at the club will soon start looking at the cost-benefit analysis of pulling out of these joint TV deals. It would be legally complex, we’d face criticism, but how can we grow as a brand while tied to the paltry, near-worthless TV money on offer in Scotland?
Rodgers backs the club’s stance, unsurprisingly. He has always been sympathetic to the supporters and has always fought in their corner.
So, of course, he agrees that the £75,000 on offer for these games is a pittance, completely unworthy of a club our size, and unworthy of a match like this.
This was a game between the two biggest clubs in Scotland, and the only thing separating us from second place is a handful of goals. It’s an insult, a disgrace, that the match was up for grabs for such a paltry and offensive sum. Most games in this league are worth far more than what we get for them.
One of the greatest tragedies in Scottish football history is that we never got to pursue FansTV. Rod Petrie championed that idea, but it was killed when Neil Doncaster and Stewart Regan realised that Rangers were heading into administration.
They spooked the other clubs into voting the proposal down.
Many mistakes have been made when it comes to marketing Scottish football, but that was one of the worst.
We’ve been insulted by the sums Sky has put on the table time and again. We should have mounted a legal challenge to the last TV deal, arguing that we effectively share the television market with them. Our failure to do so has cost every club in Scotland.
This situation isn’t getting any better either.
Sky didn’t even take up their full quota of Scottish games last season, which makes me wonder if the next contract will be worth as much as the current one. It’s clear that we’re not realising our full potential while part of this joint deal.
If there’s one thing that rejecting the Premier Sports deal has shown, it’s that none of the current TV contracts underpinning the league are worth anything.
Many of us suspect that Celtic could earn far more by going it alone. And the longer that suspicion lingers, the more likely it is that someone at the club will eventually find out. The people in charge of the game here are selling all of us short, but this club in particular.
How long we continue to tolerate that will decide a lot about our future. I think we’re nearing the breaking point.
I can remember reading an article ( around mid 90’a and can’t member by whom) which stated that by 2020 fans would be let into grounds for free and solely to generate atmosphere for televised games.
Games that would be screened by individual clubs charging their own viewers. Sounded a bit ridiculous at the time, but given the paltry sums paid to Scottish Football, would it be a worthwhile venture for Celtic to explore.
How many “virtual season ticket holders” could Celtic generate ?
100k ? 200k ? at £250-300 per ticket.
Aye – Good That big bold moves could be afoot at Celtic and that we are FINALLY growing a pair of balls !
But will you pay or continue to sprout your non commitment to celtic
I’m committed through merchandising Eldarco…
I’m not paying through a turnstile until a Celtic Chairperson or Chief Executive refutes Neil Doncaster’s Pathological Lie of “Rangers (His word) are the same club – ABSOLUTELY”
So that’ll probably be The Twelfth of Never then !