SPL Plans

Monday 12^th December 2010 Neil Doncaster, Chief Executive of the SPL announced plans for “Radical Change”.

This site has a plan too. Read Corporate Governance – A Framework and judge for yourself which is the more radical.

On the face of it, people might criticise the lack of detail in this site’s plan or that it is virtually the same as the SPL’s plan.

One aim in drawing up our Framework was a recognition of the 3 contrasting realities that clubs across Scotland face in financial/commercial terms. Those are:

• The SPL environment

• Clubs aspiring to be SPL

• Clubs for whom SPL may not be a realistic objective, but who may wish to compete at a level just below SPL status

This site disputes the claim that the SPL plan will benefit all clubs as it is clearly aimed at tempting aspiring clubs to resign from the SFL and apply for SPL 2 status and is not considered radical.

It is also believed to be inflexible and incapable of future reversal or modification if the 2 x 10 league set-up runs into difficulty.

Originally this site left the league sizes open subject to viability determined by a business case study. In light of the SPL proposals, this site suggests an alternative of 1 x 16 club SPL 1 and a 10 club SPL 2 with the remaining clubs forming a new league, possibly regionalised, incorporating SPL B teams and aspiring non league clubs.

Also required would be a new cup competition based on the old League Cup, incorporating 4 non SPL clubs on merit.

These details are not shown in Corporate Governance – A Framework but have the following advantages over the SPL proposals:

• Favoured by some Chairmen, most Managers, Players and Fans

• Augments lost gate income from a 30 game SPL 1 to almost the same number of games for most clubs

• Offers more guaranteed games and gate income for SPL 2 clubs

• Offers the TV sponsors the possibility of 4 Old Firm games, depending on the draw for the new cup

• Lessens the Old Firm dominance over the league competitions

• A league structure conducive to introduction of greater numbers of younger players

• Scope to vary league sizes in future depending on success levels achieved

• Allows existing sponsorship funds to be redirected to fund the new cup competition and the present 2^nd cup competition to be scrapped freeing these for support of non league clubs

• Provides a framework for radical changes in governance and administration of the game

• Greater share of existing SFL sponsorship for non SPL clubs

All this and still room for incorporating the aspects of the SPL proposals thought to be beneficial such as earlier start to the league and a winter brake.

Add to this, the possibility for really radical changes to governance and administration and these alternatives are something of a ‘no brainer’.

So why has this not been proposed already?

This site is not going to speculate as to why and readers can form their own opinions but narrowness of thinking, driven by self interest will no doubt come high on the list.

So come on SPL open up and get radical. Same goes for SFL and club Chairmen everywhere.

Ask your playing staff and fan base which of the two proposals they would rather have, if you dare.

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