Report: Anxious clubs ask Doncaster to seek innovative Sky Sports solution to looming problem

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A number of anxious Scottish Premiership clubs have asked SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster to pursue options with Sky Sports in the event that football has to be played behind closed doors next season, The Daily Record report.

There are concerns that even heading into the 2020/21 campaign, the ongoing public health crisis will play havoc with the Scottish football schedule, potentially putting clubs at real risk.

Although the safety of the public is of paramount importance, protecting clubs who have huge standing in their communities is also a big issue.

Now, it seems that innovative solutions are being sought, with a Hampden source telling The Daily Record that clubs are looking at television ‘season ticket’ that would allow fans to watch matches at home.

As quoted by the paper, the insider said: “The feeling is that the broadcasters will have to be a part of any solution. Sky has bought the rights to our game but they also need our clubs to get through this crisis in good health.

“That’s why clubs want to know if there would be any scope for them to broadcast their own games to their own fans in the event that the games are having to be played behind closed doors.”

A viable way forward?

Put simply, without regular income such as ticket sales, Scottish football isn’t going to survive for very long.

Letting matches go ahead behind closed doors for months is not a viable strategy in Scotland, even if it is in other countries with stronger TV deals.

Some sort of pay-per-view option for supporters sounds appealing but will surely require a lot of work and perhaps even an initial investment to get off the ground.

First, it needs to be explored whether or not it would genuinely plug the gap enough for clubs up and down the country.

If not, we could even have to develop a radical revenue-sharing scheme.

It’s likely that the majority of subscribers to such a service would come from the support base of Celtic and Rangers. Would the two Glasgow clubs be willing to let other clubs in on that cash drive?

Nothing is clear right now but hopefully everyone is hard at work behind the scenes exploring all avenues.