Earlier today, news broke that broadcaster Premier Sports will show 20 live Scottish Premiership matches from next term, forming an agreement involving Celtic in some capacity.
Previously, SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster revealed the league’s governing body had been weighing up several bids for the bundle to be televised on an alternative channel from Sky, which will air 60 games from 2024/25.
Included in the agreement with Sky (that runs until 2029), the terms allowed Premier Sports to win the battle for the rights on a five-year deal, bringing Scottish top-flight football to their screens for the first time ever.
Truthfully, a lot is made of TV coverage surrounding football in this country, so from a Celtic fan perspective, what are the pros and cons now this information has entered the public domain?
Record-breaking Scottish Premiership live games on TV
It is only fair to start with the obvious advantage of this agreement: There will be more Scottish Premiership matches broadcast live than ever before, up to 80 to be precise, according to SPFL chief Doncaster, who released a statement after the news broke [SPFL].
He stated: “This is tremendous news for SPFL clubs and supporters alike and means that up to 80 Premiership matches will be broadcast live next season across Sky Sports and Premier Sports. This will be the highest number of live matches ever broadcast from the Scottish Premiership.
“With Premier Sports already having the rights to the Premier Sports Cup and Scottish Cup, they have cemented their place as a key broadcaster of live Scottish football.
“We are extremely grateful to Premier Sports for their increased investment into the game, which will bring an additional eight-figure sum into Scottish football over the next five years, meaning further record-breaking payments to clubs.”
Monetary benefits are also included, with the shake-up worth a minimum of £10 million across its duration to be distributed among top-flight clubs, The Daily Record claim.
The positives Celtic fans can take from the new TV deal
Away from the official stuff, how are Celtic fans supposed to feel about the agreement now all is said and done?
Having an alternative broadcaster did work reasonably well during the BT Sport era of 2016 to 2020, offering refreshing insight for supporters to tap into and a different perspective from Sky’s dominant hold over the Scottish football TV landscape.
External features away from the action, such as Scottish Football Extra, attracted a wealth of interest and some passionate debates alongside a few humorous moments along the way to draw punters in.
Should Premier Sports manage to capture the imagination of the public, there can some good to come from this. The outlet already hold rights to show Scottish Cup matches, exclusive Scottish League Cup privileges and international team fixtures. Hence, they aren’t exactly out of sync with football events in this country.
From a personal standpoint, I do feel there is a bit of innovation missing from coverage of the national game right now. Underselling our product will always be a sticking point for many, but there is a chance to rectify that somewhat with fresh ideas.
Premier Sports call on a wide range of pundits and producers to carry out their broadcasts, so there may be room for some high-profile Celtic-minded individuals to share their insight on the Bhoys.
The flip side of the announcement for Celtic fans
Put simply, Celtic fans have to pay an extortionate amount to watch their team legally on TV due to subscription prices across the board. This isn’t a criticism of Premier Sports, who charge anything from £9.99 to £14.99 per month for their service to watch Scottish football [Premier Sports].
This can also be bought for an annual fee of £99. Still, this part is merely an observation of how the average supporter feels they are being priced out of the modern game when factoring in season tickets, merchandise costs, or other purchases they need to make to feel close to their club.
An average Sky Sports package costs £30 per month to watch Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, while NOW TV costs £26 per month for a six-month fixed-term period.
Discovery+ reserve Champions League coverage, making that another £30.99 on top to watch the Hoops on the continent. These figures are all subject to variation, though even neutrals can see why some people may take issue with having to fork out for another subscription in a cost-of-living crisis.