Celtic will be influenced by yet more broadcast news that has emerged this afternoon regarding the viewing platform for the Scottish Cup over the next five seasons.
Yesterday, information came to light revealing that alongside Sky Sports having the rights to show 60 Scottish Premiership matches from 2024/25, Premier Sports have now agreed a 20-game bundle until 2028/29, bringing the top-flight to their station for the first time.
Earlier today, the SPFL announced that league viewing figures increased by around 2.5 million, rising from 10.03 million in 2022/23 to 12.5 million across the 2023/24 campaign.
There is a lot to unpack as the wider appeal of the Scottish game is thrust into the limelight. Celtic are a key draw in all of this, given their status as the biggest club in the country.
As I digress, another piece of important news involving the Bhoys and TV coverage has now broken in the last few hours.
The Scottish Cup TV rights latest come to the fore
Per the Scottish FA official website, the football governing body have agreed a new five-year agreement that will see Premier Sports and BBC Sport broadcast the Scottish Cup.
The final of the competition remains ‘free to air’ alongside one of the two semi-finals at Hampden; meanwhile, Premier Sports have won the right to air an extra match in Round Four and Round Five from 2024/25.
BBC will continue to show the early rounds of the tournament alongside providing highlights of each stage.
Scottish FA Chief Executive Ian Maxwell spoke after the announcement, stating: “This new agreement underlines Premier Sports’ and BBC Scotland’s commitment to Scottish football and, particularly in this case, the Scottish Gas Men’s Scottish Cup.
“In an era of multiple subscription platforms across football and life in general, we’re pleased to be able to offer consistency with established partners who take pride in their involvement in our showpiece competition. It represents stable income for our member clubs and the wider Scottish game that allows the various stakeholders to plan ahead with an added degree of certainty.
“We all have our cherished Scottish Cup memories. We’re looking forward to seeing new ones created and showcased alongside our partners at Premier Sports and BBC Scotland.”
Celtic are the holders of the Scottish Cup following their 1-0 victory over Rangers last month in the final. On the same token, they have claimed the prize on a record 42 occasions.
Once the next campaign gets underway, hopefully, the Bhoys can retain the trophy as Rodgers seeks to maintain his perfect record in association football’s oldest prize.