Admin feel free to move this in a bit but I'd appreciate if you could leave it a couple of days..
First and foremost thanks to all who jotted their email address on the petition I set up half way through last season. I managed to hit over 200 signatures the other day and decided to pass this on to the SPL. Although receiving the response I expected I was pleased that someone has taken the time to give some sort of reply....
My original email:
Dear Sirs,
I don't know how much good it will do but we need a different structure
to the SPL. I care passionately about my league as it represents my
club and more importantly my country. It is almost embarrassing when we
watch our next door neighbours spend millions upon millions, and that's
the teams at the bottom of the EPL. We need to make an extreme change
that will interest some real sponsors with some major investment. Increasing
the league structure has to be top of the list as it generates more competition
and diversity. For example the leagues currently successful around the world,
England, Spain, Italy etc. all have a larger number of teams in their top
domestic league. 16 teamleague is an improvement but it also gives the SPL
it's identity with an obscure number of teams. I doubt this email will do much
use but truely it is the only option left before the standards drop further and further
behind the rest of the world.
Yours faithfully
Petition]
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reply:
Gary,
Thanks for your e-mail. I note your comments.
League structure is something that is discussed on a regular basis but
the 16-team top flight is not something that has found favour. No system
is perfect but we believe the current set-up provides an exciting and
competitive environment.
You may also be interested to know that we are founding and active
members of the European Professional Football Leagues, a group of the
top leagues in Europe. Within this group we are highly respected and
have indeed received several enquiries recently about the structure of
out league for other nations looking to our model as a template.
You should also be aware that when the SPL was formed, we were ranked
26th in UEFA's country rankings, based on our clubs' performances in
Europe. Today we stand at 11th.
It may also be of note that recently we have completed the largest ever
televisions deal with Setanta Sports and have finalised a four year
title sponsorship deal with Clydesdale Bank. For a nation of only 5
million people, we punch above our weight commercially.
Kind regards
David Ogilvie
Operations Administrator
Scottish Premier League
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I think my dis-satisfaction for the current league format could have been more detailed when i set up the petition but I was drunk and wanted a rant. If I had started to re-write the thing I would have lost all the original signatures.. you see!!
... anyway thanks again to all who signed it. It may not have done much good but still shows that Scottish fans care about their league.