History Lesson for those with short memories

[Jimbo the Jambo]

In October 1980 Scottish League clubs voted 26 to 11, (everyone got a vote in those days, not just the "big" 12), to allow Home clubs to keep their entire home gate, that I suggest was the starting point for the big clubs to get bigger and the rest to gradually wither on the vine.

 

Campbell Ogilvie who was then Rangers Secretary stated in the Rangers v Hearts match programme of 11th October 1980 "Instead of being tied under rules to paying visiting clubs 50% of the minimum admission price, Rangers (and many other clubs) will now be able to put the cash to good use."

 

Well they certainly did that, by building bigger and bigger capacity stadiums, continually increasing prices with seemingly no upper limit and keeping the others in check by very effectively restricting their income streams.

 

It may surprise a few to think that the Premier League even then was a 10 team league, but in it were Airdrie, Partick Thistle and Morton, no Hibs, Motherwell, Hamilton, St Johnstone or Inverness.So not only did they play each other 4 times but everybody got 2 bites of the cherry at Ibrox and Parkhead. Now that is a pretty good reason to keep a 10 team league, how did the turkeys vote for Christmas and give up the chances of extra pay days away. Can't see Rangers and Celtic getting excited at 50% of a gate at Cappielow or Firhill but for the others to get 50% of an Old Firm gate - actually 4 times - that's serious cash.

So after many League reconstructions and 30 years later the Old Firm are still dominant and even greater cash producing machines(although little actual Profit) through their embracing of TV revenues. Their ideas for another go at a 10 team League will only carry on their duoply of Scottish football unless the others stand up to them, because other members of the steering group obviously didn't - hang your heads in shame - Hibs, Aberdeen, St Mirren and Motherwell!!

 

We must have radical change and not return to the dark ages - a wider, more expansive competition, that's what is required - let's hope the chairman have the stomach for the fight against the Ugly Sisters - if they don't like it - tough, they can play each other every week for all I care!

 

Rant over

[Francis Albert]

Good digging. I had forgotten that the change to keeping 100% of home gates was so recent. The most retrograde step in Scottish football history. It took just a decade or so for the full impact (total OF domimance) to take effect. Of course the OF were (and will always be) always the biggest clubs but before this others had a chance.

[Charlie-Brown]

Good digging. I had forgotten that the change to keeping 100% of home gates was so recent. The most retrograde step in Scottish football history. It took just a decade or so for the full impact (total OF domimance) to take effect. Of course the OF were (and will always be) always the biggest clubs but before this others had a chance.

 

They had an even better chance prior to the abandonment of wage capping in the early-mid 1960's. Salary capping and sharing gate money meant that even the smaller provincial teams could keep their better players for longer and were able to compete better. Between 1945-1965 we had 8 non Old Firm Champions (Hibs, Hearts, Aberdeen, Dundee & Killie) in 20 seasons. In the cups even East Fife, Clyde & Dunfermline all won silverware on a couple of occassions.

 

After the end of wage restrictions it wasn't long before the much richer Old Firm clubs enjoyed a period of 15 years unbroken domination including Celtic's 9 in a row titles. After the abandonment of shared gate receipts we only had to wait until 1985 to embark on a currently 25 season long spell of unbroken Old Firm title domination including Rangers 9 in a row titles.

 

Since moving to the SPL / SFL split - only one team Hearts has even managed to split the Old Firm - something that happened much more regulary pre-SPL / SFL split and even then Hearts incurred a then club record financial loss that season 2005-06.

 

Another nail in the coffin of a competitive league has been Champions league group money help fund Old Firm big spending and subsidise the huge cost of their squads relative to the other 10 SPL clubs. However declining results in UEFA Competitions by Scottish teams has seen the co-efficient plummet and now even the Old Firm / SPL Champions will face a very tough qualifying rounds to get into the CL Group stages so for the next few seasons at least the OF look increasingly unlikely to get that ?10M+ European windfall which should narrow the gap a bit between the Old Firm and the rest.

[fc1874]

They had an even better chance prior to the abandonment of wage capping in the early-mid 1960's. Salary capping and sharing gate money meant that even the smaller provincial teams could keep their better players for longer and were able to compete better. Between 1945-1965 we had 8 non Old Firm Champions (Hibs, Hearts, Aberdeen, Dundee & Killie) in 20 seasons. In the cups even East Fife, Clyde & Dunfermline all won silverware on a couple of occassions.

 

After the end of wage restrictions it wasn't long before the much richer Old Firm clubs enjoyed a period of 15 years unbroken domination including Celtic's 9 in a row titles. After the abandonment of shared gate receipts we only had to wait until 1985 to embark on a currently 25 season long spell of unbroken Old Firm title domination including Rangers 9 in a row titles.

 

Since moving to the SPL / SFL split - only one team Hearts has even managed to split the Old Firm - something that happened much more regulary pre-SPL / SFL split and even then Hearts incurred a then club record financial loss that season 2005-06.

 

Another nail in the coffin of a competitive league has been Champions league group money help fund Old Firm big spending and subsidise the huge cost of their squads relative to the other 10 SPL clubs. However declining results in UEFA Competitions by Scottish teams has seen the co-efficient plummet and now even the Old Firm / SPL Champions will face a very tough qualifying rounds to get into the CL Group stages so for the next few seasons at least the OF look increasingly unlikely to get that ?10M+ European windfall which should narrow the gap a bit between the Old Firm and the rest.

Maybe the fear of not getting 10m+ is one of the main reason for what's going on?..Edit.. It is. PS good start to a thread by all.

[colinmaroon]

They had an even better chance prior to the abandonment of wage capping in the early-mid 1960's. Salary capping and sharing gate money meant that even the smaller provincial teams could keep their better players for longer and were able to compete better. Between 1945-1965 we had 8 non Old Firm Champions (Hibs, Hearts, Aberdeen, Dundee & Killie) in 20 seasons. In the cups even East Fife, Clyde & Dunfermline all won silverware on a couple of occassions.

 

After the end of wage restrictions it wasn't long before the much richer Old Firm clubs enjoyed a period of 15 years unbroken domination including Celtic's 9 in a row titles. After the abandonment of shared gate receipts we only had to wait until 1985 to embark on a currently 25 season long spell of unbroken Old Firm title domination including Rangers 9 in a row titles.

 

Since moving to the SPL / SFL split - only one team Hearts has even managed to split the Old Firm - something that happened much more regulary pre-SPL / SFL split and even then Hearts incurred a then club record financial loss that season 2005-06.

 

Another nail in the coffin of a competitive league has been Champions league group money help fund Old Firm big spending and subsidise the huge cost of their squads relative to the other 10 SPL clubs. However declining results in UEFA Competitions by Scottish teams has seen the co-efficient plummet and now even the Old Firm / SPL Champions will face a very tough qualifying rounds to get into the CL Group stages so for the next few seasons at least the OF look increasingly unlikely to get that ?10M+ European windfall which should narrow the gap a bit between the Old Firm and the rest.

 

 

A summing up that is spot on and, if there was anyone with half a brain cell outside of the OF, they would make sure that any change is for the good of all and not just these bigotted leeches!

 

To read and hear the arch-hypocrite Walter Smith blether on with his sarcy comments, sums up the unbridled arrogance of the Uglies!!!

 

Sadly, sprinkled through those who control other clubs are those whose allegiance lies with the Uglies!

[fc1874]

I think this is a pivotal point in Scottish football. The more that what has been mentioned above is stuck in everyone's face, the better.

[colinmaroon]

Just watched Dick Donald "selling" the 10 team option!!!

 

 

Good grief!!!

 

 

ANY proposal from this guy should be rejected on the grounds that he can't even run a club let alone get it right for the rest of us!

[fc1874]

This is a good read

[Drylaw Hearts]

Home clubs should keep 100% of their gate receipts for League matches.

 

What right do we have to the money Celtic or Rangers supporters pay to their club ?

[fc1874]

Home clubs should keep 100% of their gate receipts for League matches.

 

What right do we have to the money Celtic or Rangers supporters pay to their club ?

Right of the top of my head, to curb their bulling ways? for the good of Scottish football? or should we trust them?

[Rick Grimes]

Home clubs should keep 100% of their gate receipts for League matches.

 

What right do we have to the money Celtic or Rangers supporters pay to their club ?

 

 

its similar to the shared revenues approach that's taken by the NFL, i.e. that the league is a product made possible & attractive by the competition of all its members regardless of size. its deemed in the interests of the overall product for each team to be as strong as possible. effectively, you're not buying a Celtic or Rangers ticket, you're buying an SPL ticket.

 

interestingly, on gate receipts its a 60/40 split for home & away with other revenues like TV being equally shared. perhaps something to look at there?

[Drylaw Hearts]

Right of the top of my head, to curb their bulling ways?

 

How would taking their fans money stop this 'bullying' ?

[Drylaw Hearts]

its similar to the shared revenues approach that's taken by the NFL, i.e. that the league is a product made possible & attractive by the competition of all its members regardless of size. its deemed in the interests of the overall product for each team to be as strong as possible. interestingly, on gate receipts its a 60/40 split for home & away with other revenues like TV being equally shared.

 

perhaps something to look at there?

 

I find it pretty unfair that because we have a smaller support we are subsidised by the OF and in turn we subsidise Hamilton.

[fc1874]

How would taking their fans money stop this 'bullying' ?

Why don't you quote the hole thing?

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Why don't you quote the hole thing?

 

Yeh - why don't you quote the whole thing, DH?

 

Spoilsport.

[Francis Albert]

Home clubs should keep 100% of their gate receipts for League matches.

 

What right do we have to the money Celtic or Rangers supporters pay to their club ?

If the opposition doesn't turn up there isn't a game to watch.

[fc1874]

If the opposition doesn't turn up there isn't a game to watch.

and that was that

[Drylaw Hearts]

Why don't you quote the hole thing?

 

Why don't you take a deep breath.....read the time of my post......and then read the time of your edit which is when you added the last couple of comments.

 

There's a clever boy.

 

Yeh - why don't you quote the whole thing, DH?

 

Spoilsport.

 

[Drylaw Hearts]

If the opposition doesn't turn up there isn't a game to watch.

 

And why wouldn't the opposition turn up ?

[Rick Grimes]

I find it pretty unfair that because we have a smaller support we are subsidised by the OF and in turn we subsidise Hamilton.

 

I don't completely disagree but if we're looking at ideas to strengthen Scottish league football, and hopefully the national team whilst we're at it, then we need to examine all possible options.

 

by logical extension Rantic could demand the gate receipts of their travelling fans as they're paying to see them & not the home team. providing the costs of policing etc were paid for would you agree with that?

[Gibbo]

Just watched Dick Donald "selling" the 10 team option!!!

 

 

Good grief!!!

 

 

ANY proposal from this guy should be rejected on the grounds that he can't even run a club let alone get it right for the rest of us!

 

Dick Donald died in 1993 and was Aberdeen Chairman during the Ferguson era so I assume that you mean Stewart Milne, the current Aberdeen Chairman?

[Francis Albert]

And why wouldn't the opposition turn up ?

Maybe the same reason the OF would like to bugger off to England. Preference to play in a competitive league.

[Drylaw Hearts]

I don't completely disagree but if we're looking at ideas to strengthen Scottish league football, and hopefully the national team whilst we're at it, then we need to examine all possible options.

 

by logical extension Rantic could demand the gate receipts of their travelling fans as they're paying to see them & not the home team. providing the costs of policing etc were paid for would you agree with that?

 

No.

 

Opposition fans are paying to enter our stadium so we should keep all the money.

[Drylaw Hearts]

Maybe the same reason the OF would like to bugger off to England. Preference to play in a competitive league.

 

But the opposition will turn up.

[fc1874]

Why don't you take a deep breath.....read the time of my post......and then read the time of your edit which is when you added the last couple of comments.

 

There's a clever boy.

 

 

 

OOps sorry.

[fc1874]

But the opposition will turn up.

In what manner are they going to turn up in and under what circumstances? If it is a difficult step to take should you stay where you are standing, with the knowledge that if you do you drown? Don't you have to take the step?

[wibble]

Great thread hijacked by mups.

[Drylaw Hearts]

In what manner are they going to turn up in and under what circumstances? If it is a difficult step to take should you stay where you are standing, with the knowledge that if you do you drown? Don't you have to take the step?

 

Eh ?

 

[fc1874]

Eh ?

 

oh well

[Guest Bilel Mohsni]

Great thread hijacked by mups.

 

 

Have to say... that was exactly what I felt as I read it.

[Bickfest]

Home clubs should keep 100% of their gate receipts for League matches.

 

What right do we have to the money Celtic or Rangers supporters pay to their club ?

Because they pay to watch 2 professional teams.

[IMA MAROON]

I prefer to give my money to Hearts. I pay to watch Hearts. I want my money to help Hearts.

[Bickfest]

I prefer to give my money to Hearts. I pay to watch Hearts. I want my money to help Hearts.

Then do so. But if you pay to attend a match you pay to watch 2 sets of professional footballers.

[Sydney]

Great thread hijacked by mups.

 

Agree.

 

Started off as a really interesting thread.

[Charlie-Brown]

Home clubs should keep 100% of their gate receipts for League matches.

 

What right do we have to the money Celtic or Rangers supporters pay to their club ?

 

Jeezo - Scottish clubs must have been really dumb to share the gate receipts for over a century then eh? Indeed they still do it for Scottish Cup and League Cup games ..... and as for those muppets in MLB Baseball and NFL American Football what do they know about trying to preserve competition in their sport via centralised ticketing? And as for those total dafties at the New York Yankees imagine paying compensation into the general fund split between all the other clubs for spending in excess of the agreed annual limits for playing squad budgets ..... IF those radges kept all the money they could for themselves then they too could have a monopoly domination and product as healthy as the Old Firm have in the SPL.

[Drylaw Hearts]

Jeezo - Scottish clubs must have been really dumb to share the gate receipts for over a century then eh? Indeed they still do it for Scottish Cup and League Cup games ..... and as for those muppets in MLB Baseball and NFL American Football what do they know about trying to preserve competition in their sport via centralised ticketing? And as for those total dafties at the New York Yankees imagine paying compensation into the general fund split between all the other clubs for spending in excess of the agreed annual limits for playing squad budgets ..... IF those radges kept all the money they could for themselves then they too could have a monopoly domination and product as healthy as the Old Firm have in the SPL.

 

 

We can't expect the fans of better supported clubs to subsidise the smaller ones any more than they already do.

 

Sponsorship money should be evenly split but not revenue brought to a club by it's own fans.

 

I don't want handouts from the OF.

 

No way.

[colinmaroon]

Dick Donald died in 1993 and was Aberdeen Chairman during the Ferguson era so I assume that you mean Stewart Milne, the current Aberdeen Chairman?

 

 

Your assumption is correct!!!

 

 

And SM made such an impression on me too!!!

[Charlie-Brown]

I prefer to give my money to Hearts. I pay to watch Hearts. I want my money to help Hearts.

 

Well under the current status quo it is not in any fans interest to attend away matches as all they are doing is puting money into rivals pockets and their money for those games doesn't help their team at all .... the rational expectation then is lower crowds overall as fans have a financial disincentive to travel to away games however if gate receipts were to be shared then you would be assured that every match you attended home or away would benefit your team as they would be guaranteed a share from 100% of league matches instead of only 50% of games. This gives fans a financial incentive to attend away matches - it is a positive driver to help boost attendances at all grounds if you want your team to be able to earn more attendance money to compete - it also acts positively on the wealth gaps that exist between clubs.

[reaths17]

another point of this history lesson shouldn't be forgotten. the consitent fact about this league reconstruction/redistribution of monies is, that like back late 70's as now, the huns were on the bones of their er/ses.

 

the share of gate money wasn't as great as some might think, their crowds were regularly under 20k. it wasn't until murray walked wheeled into ibrox that they were saved.

 

seems like were all bailing them out again, thanks to a dubious panel consisting of only the chosen contributors deciding what all are going to do, this whole thing stinks of funny handshakes

[Carl Weathers]

its similar to the shared revenues approach that's taken by the NFL, i.e. that the league is a product made possible & attractive by the competition of all its members regardless of size. its deemed in the interests of the overall product for each team to be as strong as possible. effectively, you're not buying a Celtic or Rangers ticket, you're buying an SPL ticket.

 

interestingly, on gate receipts its a 60/40 split for home & away with other revenues like TV being equally shared. perhaps something to look at there?

 

A very interesting idea that will, unfortunately, never be put into practice.

 

Scottish football will continue its slow slide into the abyss.

[The Old Tolbooth]

another point of this history lesson shouldn't be forgotten. the consitent fact about this league reconstruction/redistribution of monies is, that like back late 70's as now, the huns were on the bones of their er/ses.

 

the share of gate money wasn't as great as some might think, their crowds were regularly under 20k. it wasn't until murray walked wheeled into ibrox that they were saved.

 

seems like were all bailing them out again, thanks to a dubious panel consisting of only the chosen contributors deciding what all are going to do, this whole thing stinks of funny handshakes

Excellent post!

 

Which is why whatever the set up chosen would make the whole thing futile, it might be a new set up but it's still the same corrupt morons in charge, and until that changes then there's no real point in changing the league structures, the cancer will still be rotting away at the core!

[7628mm]

Great thread hijacked by mups.

 

 

I concur

yet another quality thread ruined by the JKb way of playing at keyboard hardmen. well done to all responsible.

[casper]

In 1980 there was no european competition rules. I'd imagine now that if gate sharing was reintroduced it would be successfully challenged in the european court by the OF on the basis that people entering their ground are their customers.

[IMA MAROON]

In 1980 there was no european competition rules. I'd imagine now that if gate sharing was reintroduced it would be successfully challenged in the european court by the OF on the basis that people entering their ground are their customers.

 

For good reason.

 

Rangers average crowd: 47564

Celtic average crowd: 45582

Hearts average crowd: 14484

Hibernian average crowd: 12164

Aberdeen average crowd: 10461

Dundee Utd average crowd: 7864

Kilmarnock average crowd: 5919

Falkirk average crowd: 5635

Motherwell average crowd: 5307

St Johnstone average crowd: 4717

St Mirren average crowd: 4414

Hamilton average crowd: 3005

 

The average crowds for 2009/10.

 

Multiply these figures by 19 home games at ?20 a ticket and have a look at the winners and losers and you think the share and share alike idea is fair?

[casper]

Multiply these figures by 19 home games at ?20 a ticket and have a look at the winners and losers and you think the share and share alike idea is fair?

 

It's nothing to do with fairness.

Can you imagine Tesco giving away money to corner shops in the intrests of fairness..

[Bickfest]

The biased distribution of the revenues from our sport - television money, sponsorship and gate receipts - is at the root of most of the financial problems most clubs face in Scotland. It is killing our game, starving smaller clubs of income which they desperately need and deserve. The Old Squirm are an embarrassment to our game and the current arrangements serve no-one but them - just look at the distribution of prize money for league placings - utterly ridiculous and unjustifiable. Unless this is addressed in a professional & mature manner, with the long-term interests of the game as a whole in this country paramount, no amount of reconstruction and/or tweaking of the league structure will improve the overall product on offer and our game will continue to die a slow death.

 

The truth is that splitting gates in a fair and equitable manner does not mean that smaller teams are being "subsidised" by larger teams' supporters. You are paying to watch two teams play. There is no point in attending if the opponents aren't there - and those opponents are professionals. (Imagine going to watch a boxing match and saying "my entrance money is only to go towards Ricky Hatton, I don't want to subsidise that American eejit". Yeah, right.) The Old Firm are NOTHING without the other clubs in Scotland, not vice versa, and it's time those other clubs let them know that. They have long since said that they're too big and too good for the rest of us, but noone else is daft enough to accommodate them, and their bile. Perhaps they should now be given their two team league by Scottish clubs. I wonder how long that would last.

 

I would suggest that home gates should be split 60:40 to the home team, after deducting ground maintenance costs (at a rate to be agreed), policing and any League levy, season ticket receipts to be allocated notionally across all league games. That would be fair.

[Drylaw Hearts]

The biased distribution of the revenues from our sport - television money, sponsorship and gate receipts - is at the root of most of the financial problems most clubs face in Scotland. It is killing our game, starving smaller clubs of income which they desperately need and deserve. The Old Squirm are an embarrassment to our game and the current arrangements serve no-one but them - just look at the distribution of prize money for league placings - utterly ridiculous and unjustifiable. Unless this is addressed in a professional & mature manner, with the long-term interests of the game as a whole in this country paramount, no amount of reconstruction and/or tweaking of the league structure will improve the overall product on offer and our game will continue to die a slow death.

 

The truth is that splitting gates in a fair and equitable manner does not mean that smaller teams are being "subsidised" by larger teams' supporters. You are paying to watch two teams play. There is no point in attending if the opponents aren't there - and those opponents are professionals. (Imagine going to watch a boxing match and saying "my entrance money is only to go towards Ricky Hatton, I don't want to subsidise that American eejit". Yeah, right.) The Old Firm are NOTHING without the other clubs in Scotland, not vice versa, and it's time those other clubs let them know that. They have long since said that they're too big and too good for the rest of us, but noone else is daft enough to accommodate them, and their bile. Perhaps they should now be given their two team league by Scottish clubs. I wonder how long that would last.

 

I would suggest that home gates should be split 60:40 to the home team, after deducting ground maintenance costs (at a rate to be agreed), policing and any League levy, season ticket receipts to be allocated notionally across all league games. That would be fair.

 

Gate receipts aren't biased.

 

They are based on a clubs size, their success and the loyalty of it's support.

 

 

If we had a more loyal fan base we'd have more money to invest in the team and the same goes for all the other clubs in the SPL.

 

Then we'd grow and hopefully become more successful.

 

 

Clubs need the 'Cup Final' fans to turn up more regularly.

[adayinmay]

In October 1980 Scottish League clubs voted 26 to 11, (everyone got a vote in those days, not just the "big" 12), to allow Home clubs to keep their entire home gate, that I suggest was the starting point for the big clubs to get bigger and the rest to gradually wither on the vine.

 

Campbell Ogilvie who was then Rangers Secretary stated in the Rangers v Hearts match programme of 11th October 1980 "Instead of being tied under rules to paying visiting clubs 50% of the minimum admission price, Rangers (and many other clubs) will now be able to put the cash to good use."

 

Well they certainly did that, by building bigger and bigger capacity stadiums, continually increasing prices with seemingly no upper limit and keeping the others in check by very effectively restricting their income streams.

 

It may surprise a few to think that the Premier League even then was a 10 team league, but in it were Airdrie, Partick Thistle and Morton, no Hibs, Motherwell, Hamilton, St Johnstone or Inverness.So not only did they play each other 4 times but everybody got 2 bites of the cherry at Ibrox and Parkhead. Now that is a pretty good reason to keep a 10 team league, how did the turkeys vote for Christmas and give up the chances of extra pay days away. Can't see Rangers and Celtic getting excited at 50% of a gate at Cappielow or Firhill but for the others to get 50% of an Old Firm gate - actually 4 times - that's serious cash.

So after many League reconstructions and 30 years later the Old Firm are still dominant and even greater cash producing machines(although little actual Profit) through their embracing of TV revenues. Their ideas for another go at a 10 team League will only carry on their duoply of Scottish football unless the others stand up to them, because other members of the steering group obviously didn't - hang your heads in shame - Hibs, Aberdeen, St Mirren and Motherwell!!

 

We must have radical change and not return to the dark ages - a wider, more expansive competition, that's what is required - let's hope the chairman have the stomach for the fight against the Ugly Sisters - if they don't like it - tough, they can play each other every week for all I care!

 

Rant over

I agree that we need radical change as I think we all do. I just cant see us getting it.

The problem is that the change we need requires some altruistic thinking from all clubs (especially Old Firm) and in the business world that thinking doesn't exist.

 

For me there are 3 fundamental changes that we need.

1: change the dictator style voting structure from 11-1 to a majority vote

2: Split TV revenue equally between ALL clubs

3: Stop clubs playing each other 4 times a season

 

Without those changes Scottish Football will limp slowly towards part time and amateur status.

 

No Chairman in the land will endorse anything that will see a reduction in revenue for their club and those changes will see exactly that for the Ol Firm.

As an aside does anyone believe that if Hearts were in the Old Firm shoes and won titles every year with no near challenger Hearts would be of exactly the same opinion as the OF? We have an owner who is just the same - a businessman.

 

The change will not, and cannot come from within Football (because of the reason I've stated above) so I believe it needs enforced from outside Football. This is why the McLeish report was such a poor disappointing effort. It didn't take into consideration any of the 3 points I've identified for change.

[Boris]

In 1980 there was no european competition rules. I'd imagine now that if gate sharing was reintroduced it would be successfully challenged in the european court by the OF on the basis that people entering their ground are their customers.

 

 

Yes, but if the other team don't turn up to play then where is the product?

[Bickfest]

Gate receipts aren't biased. I didn't say they were. I said they were distributed in a biased manner.

Clubs need the 'Cup Final' fans to turn up more regularly. Agreed, but why should they given the product on offer?

 

 

I agree that we need radical change as I think we all do. I just cant see us getting it.

The problem is that the change we need requires some altruistic thinking from all clubs (especially Old Firm) and in the business world that thinking doesn't exist.

 

For me there are 3 fundamental changes that we need.

1: change the dictator style voting structure from 11-1 to a majority vote Agreed

2: Split TV revenue equally between ALL clubs Agreed

3: Stop clubs playing each other 4 times a season. Desirable, but may not be practical, depending on the revised structure.

 

 

Yes, but if the other team don't turn up to play then where is the product? In a nutshell. If the other clubs could only realise that, in reality, they have the upper hand, not the OF, perhaps we could at last see some clear thinking.