140 days and counting- Celtic continues the Fan Media ban

It is now 140 days since Celtic blocked fan media outlets from attending media conferences.

It is doubtful if any of the sites on the rota have suffered a drop in traffic due to the decision.

Getting a once a month invite to a pre or post match conference was of little use to any fan media site.

Being invited to the opening of a new club store might be good for the ego but isn’t likely to result in a surge of pageviews, sessions or impressions.

No reason has ever been given for pulling the plug on fan media access. Interim Chairman Brian Wilson is so disinterested that he doesn’t even know who made the decision.

Kevin McQuillan, Head of Commercial Operations at Celtic nodded in agreement at the meeting with the Celtic Fans Collective on February 18.

INFLUENCE OF THE CELTIC FANS COLLECTIVE

At that meeting Wilson promised a follow up meeting within a month. More than two months later the Collective have still not heard from the former Labour MP, a close friend of Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson.

The formation of the Collective is almost certainly a major reason for the ban on fan media.

Almost all fan websites and podcasts have backed the Collective. The aims of the Collective aren’t vague.

The Collective wants to see complete change at Celtic. It is hardly a shock that the club is no longer playing ball with outlets that want to see a new CEO and CFO in place.

On December 3, less than an hour before Celtic faced Dundee it was announced that Wilfield Nancy was taking over as manager.

It was an appointment that only pleased a couple of hipsters among Celtic media.

Nancy was introduced to the media on December 5.

That morning two fan media outlets were emailed to say that their previously arranged media access had been withdrawn.

There was no fan media in the room as Nancy was introduced to the Celtic support, two days before facing Hearts.

NICHOLSON GOES INTO HIDING

Michael Nicholson was also absent from Nancy’s introduction. As was Chairman Peter Lawwell.

It was a telling moment for Celtic’s worst ever manager. He was on his own being questioned by Sky Sports, BBC Scotland, Radio Clyde and STV.

140 days on it is clear than nothing has changed inside Celtic.

The club has contempt for supporters at every level. Fan media access was nothing more than a reluctant box ticking exercise.

Legacy media remains the priority for Celtic. Pushed by Communications Manager Iain Jamieson.

As sales, circulation and influence collapses the Daily Record, Daily Mail, Scotsman, Herald/Evening Times retain a special place in the affections of the Celtic CEO.

While the current regime remain in place at Celtic fan media is far better off on the outside looking in.

Being approved for access by the current Celtic board isn’t something that is going to build credibility.

The CEO that banned the Green Brigade, that undermined Rodgers, that appointed Nancy, that welcomes the Union Bears, that says nothing when players and staff are physically attacked by fans on the pitch at Ibrox.

That is who controls and decides on media access. Look at who they approve.

It is far healthier being out than in.