SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE TELEVISION RIGHTS:THE OLD Firm clubs confirmed yesterday that they were plotting an audacious bid to secure the television rights to Scottish Premier League football, dismissing an offer from Sky and ESPN as too low.

With the start of the season just one month away, however, there are numerous logistical hurdles to Celtic and Rangers buying the rights and setting up their own channel or exploiting them in other ways – even if they could persuade the other SPL clubs of the merit of their plan.

Having budgeted for income of €162 million over five years from the now-defunct Setanta and with an offer worth less than half that on the table from Sky and ESPN, the other 10 clubs will approach the Old Firm proposal with an open mind.

But given habitual suspicion of their motives, with Rangers and Celtic having long wanted to sell their own rights and keep the income, it remains unlikely they would secure the support required to carry the necessary 8-4 majority.

Confirmation of the talks will be seen as a bid to put pressure on ESPN and Sky to increase their offer or agree to shorten the length of the contract to two or three years ahead of tomorrow’s crucial SPL agm. If they succeed in securing a shorter contract, the clubs may hope competition will return to the market within that time. It would also give them time to explore the idea of launching their own channel.

ESPN and Sky are believed to have tabled an offer worth around €76 million over five years, around half what the SPL clubs would have received from Setanta in four years from 2010.

Broadcasting sources believe it would be virtually impossible for the Old Firm to get the necessary production, licensing and platform deals in place before the season kicks off on August 15th, even if they were to secure the rights. Setanta’s demise was a double whammy for the Old Firm clubs, as Celtic TV and Rangers TV were also produced by the broadcaster and went off air at the same time.

 GuardianService