The Scottish Premier League (SPL) and Scottish Football League (SFL) are close to a £1.2 million (€1.5 million/$1.9 million) deal with UK pay-television broadcaster BSkyB for the rights to show Glasgow Rangers games over the next three seasons, according to the Daily Record.
The SPL has been attempting to secure a near eight-year rights deal with Sky, from 2012-13 to 2019-20, but has been told that rights for Rangers matches would need to be included.
Rangers have dropped out of the SPL after being liquidated. They are expected to begin life as a new company in the Scottish Football League’s Third Division – the fourth tier of football in Scotland – next season.
The Daily Record said that the SPL had agreed to buy from the SFL rights for Rangers matches over the next three seasons. The SPL is thought to want to add the matches to its own rights package – covering matches in the SPL only – to make it more attractive to Sky and other potential buyers.
The newspaper said that the SPL had been in London over the past fortnight negotiating with Sky, rival pay-television broadcaster ESPN and other corporate partners.
The SPL had agreed five-year deals with Sky and ESPN for the period 2012-13 to 2016-17, worth a total of £80 million (€103 million/$126 million) over the five years. These agreements are understood to have been scrapped following Rangers’ relegation.