Pressure is mounting on Scottish football clubs to "scrap Scottish Cup replays all together as English football bosses also consider similar moves in the FA Cup in a bid to ease fixture congestion," according to Gary Ralston of the Scotland DAILY RECORD. Scottish sides Hibernian, Hearts, Kilmarnock and Rangers "chose not to risk the wrath" of UEFA by making moves to televise their replays live against action from the Champions League. The Scottish Professional Football League "would have been hit by a fine by European football bosses that could have dwarfed" the £82,500 ($118,130) each club would have received from Scottish Cup broadcast partners Sky and BBC "were they to have televised the ties." The "complex issue of cup replays" is now set to be discussed by clubs at the Scotland FA AGM in June, although it remains to be seen if "easing fixture congestion is put ahead of hard cash" (DAILY RECORD, 2/18).
NOVEMBER CUP: The BBC reported the Scottish League Cup "will return to November" from next season. Since '00, the tournament "has culminated in March." Plans for a competition reformat were announced last year, "beginning in July and with group stages introduced" (BBC, 2/18).
