Celtic’s top-of-the-table Scottish Premiership clash won’t be broadcast on television this weekend despite a wider demand in some circles to see the game aired.
Brendan Rodgers’ men are on a ten-match domestic win streak and sit at the summit on goal difference. Meanwhile, Jimmy Thelin’s Dons travel to Glasgow having taken maximum points in the league themselves.
Setting the scene for a brilliant Celtic Park meeting this Saturday, both clubs have a chance to put a bit of daylight between each other at an early stage in the Scottish Premiership season.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  CelticCeltic | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 21 | 21 |
| 2 |  AberdeenAberdeen | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 21 |
| 3 |  RangersRangers | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 16 |
| 4 |  MotherwellMotherwell | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 13 |
However, the match won’t be broadcast on live TV after Celtic opted out of Premier Sports’ SPFL contract to accommodate their own supporters who had made travel arrangements for the clash.
Despite a £150,000 financial reward for allowing two potential matches to be subject to live visual coverage, the club held firm amid a campaign that has seen them have a solitary traditional kick-off slot.
Speaking ahead of Celtic’s meeting with Aberdeen, Chris Sutton has had his say on the issue that generated plenty of debate in Scottish football circles.
Chris Sutton on Celtic vs Aberdeen kick-off time
Speaking on the It’s All Kicking Off podcast, Sutton pointed out the stipulations behind the decision not to show the match on TV and noted Aberdeen’s surprise start to the season as a contributing factor that nobody expected.
He stated: “My understanding, as limited as it is, there are only so many times that the TV companies can go to certain grounds in Scotland. Aberdeen at the start of the season, the new manager came in.
“I don’t think anybody necessarily saw Aberdeen having the start to the season. Well, nobody did, frankly. You know, he’s won 13 out of 13 in all competitions.
“(He is) absolutely flying, Jimmy Thelin, the new Aberdeen manager. So then naturally, there’s this call for the game to be live on television.
“But if, for example, Sky put that particular game on and then after the split, which when there are five games to go in Scotland, they have the split and a particular game comes up and it’s not on television, you can imagine the reaction.
“TV companies have to be careful with the games they pick and nobody saw Aberdeen doing so well. But as I say, I like the Saturday afternoon 3 o’clock kick-offs as well.
“I can understand both sides of this particular story. But Aberdeen fans, as I say, Aberdeen is a long way from Glasgow, can travel there and back on the train, and there’ll be no issue with that.”
Match-goers the winner as Celtic take on Aberdeen
Far too often, the core Celtic support are asked to travel near and far for kick-off times that are purely catered to a TV audience, so it is only fair they get a little reward from time to time by being able to attend matches in a traditional slot.
Attracting a wider audience to the Scottish game is crucial for long-term growth, but that shouldn’t mean paying punters always have to suffer the consequences.
Looking to the future, there is room for honest conversations about the absence of live football at 3 pm on a Saturday despite the noble intentions behind the blackout ban.
Either way, Celtic’s box-office clash with Aberdeen will attract elite billing, with both sides ready to leave it all on the pitch to claim three points.
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