Celtic pull out of SPFL broadcasting deal as Aberdeen match blackout is explained

Celtic have opted out of the contract between Premier Sports and the SPFL.

Sky Sports are the main broadcaster of the SPFL with rights to show five Celtic home matches per season with the opener against Kilmarnock and the first Glasgow Derby already screened.

That leaves them with two other selections to make as well as the March Glasgow Derby with the October 19 visit from Aberdeen looking about as attractive as it gets for domestic fixtures.

With Sky not taking up the option for the match against the Dons there was surprise that Premier Sports have stepped in.

Premier showed St Johnstone’s visit to Ibrox on Sunday with further matches planned from Tannadice and Pittodrie in the coming months.

Giving detail on why the Celtic v Aberdeen match isn’t being shown the well connected Stephen McGowan of the Daily Mail reports:

CELTIC have reportedly OPTED OUT of the SPFL’s contract that awarded Premiership broadcasting rights to Scottish Premiership matches.

And it means that NO home league matches from Parkhead will be broadcast on the channel this season Sky Sports remain the main broadcasters of the Scottish Premiership. Their new deal kicked-in this season and allows Sky to show up to 60 Premiership matches, up from the 48 stipulated in the previous deal.

And then in June, it was revealed that Premier Sports had joined the Premiership party.The Irish broadcaster, already rights holders for both the Scottish Cup and Premier Sports Cup, had sealed a deal with the SPFL to show 20 Premiership matches from this season forward.

An agreement to sell a secondary package to Premier gave the Irish broadcaster the right to show a maximum of two additional games from any Premiership stadium. And raised hopes of more showpiece fixtures in the SPFL being shown live.

Offered £75,000 for every additional home game — and a maximum payment of £150,000 for two — Celtic were reluctant to inconvenience season-ticket holders and home fans travelling from further afield by shifting more 3pm Saturday kick-offs to a later time. Last night the club declined to comment.

As part of their agreed deal until 2029, Sky retained first option of two further bundles of 10 SPFL games at a cost of £4million apiece from this season.

When Sky declined to take up the option they were thrown open to the market. And while the deal with Premier falls well short of the figures agreed with Sky, eleven of the 12 clubs voted to take the cash in any case, league sources citing a desire to grow the audience and beam more live games, such as the Dundee and Edinburgh derbies, than last season.

It seems bizarre that the SPFL can negotiate deals that provide individual clubs with opt outs. UEFA wouldn’t negotiate broadcasting deals that Real Madrid can opt out of, an EPL package without Manchester City home matches would seem strange.

Premier Sports can show Celtic away matches with last month’s 6-0 win away to St Johnstone screened with a Saturday 5.45pm kick off.