Scottish Professional Football League Defends Rangers Broadcast Deal

Scottish Professional Football League CEO Neil Doncaster "has defended the broadcasting deal agreed in the wake of Rangers' collapse," according to the BBC. His comments follow newspaper reports that broadcasters "have been paid back" £750,000 ($1.2M) while the Ibrox club has been absent from the top flight. Doncaster insisted that compromise "was needed to continue the contract." Doncaster: "The consequences of the deal falling would have been catastrophic for every team in Scotland. So the absolute priority was working to agree a new TV deal with our broadcasters -- and the best possible deal at that." He said the "eight-figure investment" each season was of "enormous benefit to all 42 of our member clubs, to the clubs' own sponsors and, of course, to the fans" (BBC, 5/22). Doncaster's open letter to fans can be found here.