SPL NewCo Rules Situation

[marks]

Allowing newcos to begin their existence in the SPL, especially when it is for monetary reasons, is selling the soul of our game. NO TO NEWCOS.

http://www.splsurvey.co.uk/

[CaleyD]

Sure, here are some facts that I have already provided. The sky contract is worth 13 million pounds a season and stipulates a minimum of 3 old firm games per season. No Rangers (Glasgow or Govan) - no TV contract - Fact.

Seen nothing to back up the "3 old firm games" part of the current TV contract, but even if it does exist then any Rangers NewCo would not be one of the Old Firm and they could rip up the contract anyway. Nowhere have I seen anything other than speculation about SKY/ESPN pulling out totally if Rangers are not in the SPL.

Last set of ICT accounts I saw was turnover of 2.6 million pounds - 650 000 pounds of that was from TV. This represents 25% of turnover. Since then ICT has had a reduction in turnover from reduced crowds and sponorship so as a result TV would represent a higher rate of turnover. Fact.

Turnover Figures as per accounts registered with Companies House

2011 - 3.5 Million

2010 - 2.0 Million

2009 - 3.6 Million

2008 - 3.4 Million

Other than our year in Div1, turnover looks to be fairly steady.

None of the accounts shows a breakdown which gives income from TV, although I think your figure would probably be a fairly decent stab at it.

The TV contract and sponsors wthdrawal is more than likely due to the uncertainty of the situation. If Govan Rangers are admitted to the SPL, the TV contract and sponsors are more likely to return, but no guarantee I conceed.

Pure speculation.

I don't want Govan Rangers to return to the SPL, however this WILL result in Part Time footballers at best. Every club will be in financial distress if the TV money and sponsors withdraw - every club with the possible exception of Celtic. Celtic would have to trim their budgets over time but they would become even less competitive in Europe because they wouldn't be able to attract the quality of players required. This is already the case and will only get worse.

Exactly the kind of scaremongering that far too many people are buying in to without looking objectively at all the possible scenarios. I'm not suggesting Scottish Football would thrive (financially) without a Rangers (or Celtic)...certainly not short term. What I am saying is that the game is already heading for bust and the current setup is driving people away. You've admitted that yourself above where you say that crowds and income are falling. To suggest that we allow one team to have done what they did and be allowed to continue as they were in order to save the situation is complete folly. We all agree that change is needed....but allowing a NewCo Rangers immediate access back to where they were/are will change nothing.

This whole larger split of a smaller pie just simply doesn't hold water because the pie would be significantly smaller.

The pie is going to be significantly smaller whatever way you look at it. Scottish Football is already a joke and if we don't take a stand in order to try and reverse the trend then not only will we have lost TV deals & Sponsors, but we'll have lost so many fans that we'll end up in a situation where the game will all but die with no hope of breathing life back in to it.

Stop feeding on the corporate and political BS, take a look around you at what the people in the stands are saying....you can have all the TV & Sponsorship deals in the world, but with no fans you have no football.

Your whole argument is based on your belief that Rangers should not be readmitted into the SPL. I agree with you - I am just trying to point out the cost. All the clubs in the SPL will be wearing out the buttons on their calculators and they will be accountable to their fans when they vote to admit Govan Rangers or accountable to the Accountants if they don't vote to admit Govan Rangers.

My whole argument is based on not selling out your soul in the hope of a few scraps from the devils table....which is what has got us in to the mess we are in at the moment. The easy option is to just wave a Rangers NewCo in to place. We need to start looking beyond the end of our noses to the long term future of the game. I want to be attending ICT matches in another 40 years time, not worrying if we'll even have them in another 4.

It would be nice if that was in the top league in Scotland, but not at any cost. Sort thing out now and let teams find their natural level....if that means part-time football for some and oblivion for others, then so be it. Better that than a long painful drawn out saga where all dignity goes out the window as we beg shamelessly to and feed from the proceeds of Scotland's biggest shame.

This is not a "they all lived happily ever after" scenario. No Rangers will mean significant and possible catastrophic financial pain for all SPL clubs.

And submitting a Rangers Newco straight in to the league means exactly the same thing....you just don't have any hope of changing it any time soon. What you are arguing for is a situation where the rest of the SPL places it's future in the hands of a company that has just proven (monumentally) that they can't even look after themselves....what makes anyone think that they will do anything going forward that will be of benefit to anyone else?

Rangers Stay/Rangers Go - either way Scottish Football will have significant issues to deal with in the next 5 years - fan apathy, financial, sponorship, marketing, player recruitment just for starters. Independent SPL Directors would be a very good start.

Would it not be better to face 5 years of difficulty with your destiny in your own hands instead of placing it in the hands of a company that has just proven (monumentally) that they can't even look after themselves....what makes anyone think that they will do anything going forward that will be of benefit to anyone else?

We have Independent SPL Directors....they are the ones telling us to bend over and lube up in preparation for the Rangers NewCo.

[marks]

CaleyD, could you in your capacity with the supporters' trust take this issue up with the chairman?

Also, seeing as the supporters' trust is a major share holder in ICT do they get to have a rep at Rangers creditors meetings with the administrator?

[Bridge_Ender]

Does anyone know, or have the club announced, whether the ICT Board/SPL Representative would vote in support of Rangers NewCo being readmitted or not?

[old caley girl]

Is it not the spl board that would vote? ie not the 12 clubs.

[marks]

ICT would not have a vote on whether or not a newco were admitted back in place of a liquidated club that would fall to the SPL board, however ICT do have a vote on the resolutions which allow for newcos to be given a direct route back, by putting rules in place which state a course of action to be taken against clubs going down the newco route they are saying that newcos are okay, they should be bringing in regulations which require the automatic expulsion of a club who have liquidated the finacial side of their operation.

Edited April 14, 2012 by marks

[CaleyD]

CaleyD, could you in your capacity with the supporters' trust take this issue up with the chairman?

Also, seeing as the supporters' trust is a major share holder in ICT do they get to have a rep at Rangers creditors meetings with the administrator?

A few members of the Supporters Trust Board have regular discussion with Kenny Cameron on a variety of things and he is more than aware of the thoughts and feelings on the "Rangers Situation" which have been expressed on here and the wider ICT community.

As I understand it, ICT are in receipt of all money due from Rangers FC so would not be attending Creditor Meetings anyway. Even if we were due money, then the power in dealing with that falls to the Club Board and having a shareholding in the club would not give any rights to attend Creditor Meetings.

Does anyone know, or have the club announced, whether the ICT Board/SPL Representative would vote in support of Rangers NewCo being readmitted or not?

This decision is one which would be taken by the SPL Board and not the Member Clubs so ICT would have no (direct) vote on the matter.

[marks]

Discussion on the subject from elsewhere, well worth a read!

http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.php/topic/172164-if-rangers-newco-are-voted-straight-into-spl/

http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.php/topic/172120-spl-resolutions-for-discussion/

http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.php/topic/167655-rangers-now-in-administration/

http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.php/topic/172214-spl-fans-survey/

http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.php/topic/172317-get-your-chairmen-fuckin-telt/

[Bridge_Ender]

Ok, I should have made myself clearer. What I meant was does anybody on here know if the ICT board would, or did given the resolution has been made public, support or oppose a Rangers NewCo being admitted straight back into the SPL?

[+bughtmaster]

This topic has now changed to Rangers and Finances with the emphasis on TV money!

Exclude Rangers from the SPL and Celtic will suffer most. The Glasgow crowds will drop and Celtic will not

have the same monies coming in, consequently their team will weaken through time, dropping to the affordable levels of other SPL Clubs.

The Games throughout the league will become much more competitive and more ineresting to viewers simply because nobody will be able to forecast the outcome at the end of the season. The rivalry of other local Derbies will bring larger crowds in to home grounds of all SPL teams and TV Companies will be falling over themselves to win the contracts.

Not everything should revolve round the O.F. and now is the time to make that much needed change!

[CaleyD]

Thanks for all the input.

Seems clear that the majority of those who voted/posted disagree (morally if nothing else) with the idea of a newco being granted automatic submission to the SPL, which was really the main purpose of the poll.

Lots of interesting opinion on where the level of financial impact would fall under either scenario, but almost universal agreement that there's going to be challenges for everyone (financial and otherwise) as a result of Rangers failings.

Another thing that's certain is that it's far from over and we'll have a few twists and turns yet!!!