Details published of Neil McCann’s Sky Sports earnings after latest HMRC defeat

More details have emerged about McCann Media’s lost appeal against assessments from HMRC for Income Tax and National Insurance payments owed from work with Sky Sports. 

From 2009 to 2017 Neil McCann was the regular Sky Sports expert on Scottish football, co-presenting SPL action with David Tanner. 

While McCann claimed that he wasn’t an employee of Sky Sports HMRC thought otherwise with his earnings subject to normal PAYE earnings. 

Working for Sky Sports McCann had an annual salary of around £120,00 which would have been more than most SPL managers at that time. The Ibrox favourite now has a tax bill of £210,000 to settle.

During his playing days he also lost out over a £500,000 ‘Trust Fund’ payment made by the old Rangers club which the Supreme Court ruled on was simply disguised remuneration and liable to Income Tax, National Insurance, penalties and interest payments  

Revealing details of the ‘Hypothetical contract’ contratoruk explains: 

The FTT broadly agreed with HMRC’s version of the hypothetical contract, but with some modifications. The final terms, which incorporated not only the Sky contracts but also NDAs, would include: 

McCann obliged to provide his services as a presenter, commentator, pundit, interviewer, guest or other participation. The dates on which McCann provided his services would be agreed between the two parties. In return, Sky would be obliged to pay an annual fee paid in equal monthly instalments. 

If McCann did not provide services for longer than four weeks, Sky could terminate the agreement. 

Sky would have the right to determine where and when the work was done and the role McCann would fulfil on such occasions. 

Final editorial control over any content containing McCann’s contributions rested with Sky — and they would retain the IP rights. 

Ofcom guidelines would have to be complied with by McCann. 

McCann was prohibited from working for other TV/radio, media, print or betting organisations without the prior written consent from Sky, and Sky controlled McCann’s social media usage. 

McCann left Sky Sports to manage Dundee in 2017, last season he had a short spell as caretaker manager of Dundee. 

These days his media commitments seem split between ‘Rangers TV’ and BBC Scotland which can often appear to overlap. McCann also works as an agent with StormSportX.