Media blackout for Hearts v Rangers match

The lunchtime clash between Hearts and Rangers should be an unusual event with both clubs enforcing different types of media ban this week.

On Tuesday Rangers announced the withdrawal of co-operation with the BBC with Hearts applying a more general media ban yesterday after Paolo Sergio was asked to explain comments that linked him to suggesting that referees should undergo lie detector tests.

ESPN will broadcast today’s match live and it remains to be seen whether they are excluded from access to Hearts players and management.

A Hearts statement explained: “The club will also suspend all general media activity – including pre- and post-match media conferences – until, at the earliest, the date of the hearing on November 3. All manager, player and game information will continue to be offered through the club website.

“This decision has not been taken lightly. The club manager and players always endeavour to provide valuable content to the media.

“However, in this particular case the club feels the actions of certain elements of the media are duplicitous and we have to protect the club from the actions of those who simply seek to sensationalise and at times demonise those working and contributing to the game in this country.”

The Rangers ban is more selective and is directly on the BBC- who have a partnership agreement with the SPL- providing them with pre and post match access to players and management.

Since banning the BBC, Rangers have gone out of their way to provide access to others with STV granted an exclusive interview with Craig Whyte while the Rangers chairman spoke at length by telephone to a number of newspapers from his castle on Friday for publication on Saturday.

James Traynor with his Daily Record hat on was granted an interview with Whyte on Friday, on Saturday after opening Radio Scotland’s Sportsound programme he went home unwell and was unable to host the ‘Your Call’ section of the programme.

The most famous media fall out was between Sir Alex Ferguson and the BBC but after a stand off lasting a number of years the Manchester United manager has resumed post match interviews for Match of the Day this season.

With the media deals of the Premiership dwarfing those in Scotland the SPL requires every bit if publicity it can get which explains the regular lunchtime kick-offs and under strength attendances that go with them.

ESPN are especially keen on greater access and are used to the post match locker room access that they enjoy with most American sports.

There are no SPL rules on media access just guidelines with enough get outs to allow clubs to deal with broadcast ‘partners’ any way that they like.

Typically on pre-match access the SPL guidelines state: “Live broadcast partners must be granted access to the trackside and tunnel prior to kickoff. They will have the opportunity to approach players and managers for interviews during this period.

“However, the decision on whether to speak to the press rests solely with the individual player/manager. Clubs may also require that any interview requests are directed through their PR/operations staff.”

It’s interesting how the guidelines open up mentioning broadcast partners then goes on to mention ‘the decision on whether to speak to the press rests solely.’ Since no newspaper/press is published pre-match there is no press interest in speaking to anyone immediately pre-match.

After match access is similarly light in detail requesting: ‘Broadcast partners may request individual players for interview, but it is at the ultimate discretion of the clubs as to who participates.’

The SPL have plenty of issues to deal with- explaining to broadcast partners why access has been denied and telling sponsors why their brand isn’t receiving the usual exposure will be an unwelcome and uncomfortable task for Neil Doncaster and team.

With Craig Whyte and Vladimir Romanov calling the shots these issues aren’t going to be quickly forgotten and glossed over.

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