Is the media’s coverage of Scottish football holding the game back?

[Skinninmonth17]

EDIT: A massive thank you to everyone that has submitted responses to my survey. You will not be able to submit any responses from now, as I have unpublished the form to analyse what has been submitted. Thank you again!

I am currently writing my dissertation which is based around the media’s coverage of Scottish football.

Whether it is satisfactory or if it is actually holding the game in Scotland back?

If anyone could take a minute or two to fill this survey out for me please, it would be very much appreciated![emoji3]

Thank you

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVW-huaJUug9zNZkuxQNhNlk_YGor2AdDNTY2XcPA2txwcFw/viewform?usp=sharing


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[matty_f]

I am currently writing my dissertation which is based around the media’s coverage of Scottish football.

Whether it is satisfactory or if it is actually holding the game in Scotland back?

If anyone could take a minute or two to fill this survey out for me please, it would be very much appreciated![emoji3]

Thank you

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVW-huaJUug9zNZkuxQNhNlk_YGor2AdDNTY2XcPA2txwcFw/viewform?usp=sharing


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Done.

It’s a pity Ron Gordon posed away as I think he’d have been very progressive his thinking on how to televise Scottish football properly.

I think we’re still held back by clubs and some supporters’ negative perception on televising football.

Nothing compares to going to the games, watching on a small screen is incomparable to being at the games but is infinitely better than not seeing the game at all.

Sunday’s attendance of just shy of 18k for a televised Sunday shows that people will go to games if the “product” is good enough.

[Billy Whizz]

Done, good luck

[Skinninmonth17]

Done.

It’s a pity Ron Gordon posed away as I think he’d have been very progressive his thinking on how to televise Scottish football properly.

I think we’re still held back by clubs and some supporters’ negative perception on televising football.

Nothing compares to going to the games, watching on a small screen is incomparable to being at the games but is infinitely better than not seeing the game at all.

Sunday’s attendance of just shy of 18k for a televised Sunday shows that people will go to games if the “product” is good enough.

Thank you Matty.

It is a real shame, especially with Ron Gordon having been on the board at the SPFL, there was a huge opportunity to try and grow the game even further. Hopefully what he had planned goes onto be picked up by other members!

The market is 100% there, it’s just about building the game as much as possible.


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[Skinninmonth17]

Done, good luck

Thank you[emoji3]


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[wookie70]

I am currently writing my dissertation which is based around the media’s coverage of Scottish football.

Whether it is satisfactory or if it is actually holding the game in Scotland back?

If anyone could take a minute or two to fill this survey out for me please, it would be very much appreciated![emoji3]

Thank you

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVW-huaJUug9zNZkuxQNhNlk_YGor2AdDNTY2XcPA2txwcFw/viewform?usp=sharing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When you are asking about representation I presume you mean representation of the club you support or fair representation.

[Skinninmonth17]

When you are asking about representation I presume you mean representation of the club you support or fair representation.

Sorry that’s maybe worded a bit wrong.

I was meaning representation in terms of female reporters and reporters from minority backgrounds.


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[Scorrie]

Done. Good luck

[One Day]

Done for you

[Skinninmonth17]

Done. Good luck

Cheers, much appreciated


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[Skinninmonth17]

Done for you

Thank you[emoji1317][emoji1317]


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[Nicho87]

Done 👍🏻

[Joe6-2]

Done

[Iain G]

Sorry that’s maybe worded a bit wrong.

I was meaning representation in terms of female reporters and reporters from minority backgrounds.


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By minority backgrounds I assume you mean non-yams or ex-yam fuds? 😁

[Skinninmonth17]

Done [emoji1303]

Thank you[emoji3]


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[Skinninmonth17]

Done

Cheers![emoji3]


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[Skinninmonth17]

By minority backgrounds I assume you mean non-yams or ex-yam fuds? [emoji16]

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]


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[plhibs]

Done, best wishes.

[Paul1642]

Sorry that’s maybe worded a bit wrong.

I was meaning representation in terms of female reporters and reporters from minority backgrounds.


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I misinterpreted that one too, and answered based on club representation.

[aljo7-0]

Done, good luck

[Skinninmonth17]

Done, best wishes.

Thank you[emoji3]


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[Skinninmonth17]

I misinterpreted that one too, and answered based on club representation.

No worries, probably should have made it clearer


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[Skinninmonth17]

Done, good luck

Thank you[emoji1317]


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[Centre Hawf]

Done.

It’s a pity Ron Gordon posed away as I think he’d have been very progressive his thinking on how to televise Scottish football properly.

I think we’re still held back by clubs and some supporters’ negative perception on televising football.

Nothing compares to going to the games, watching on a small screen is incomparable to being at the games but is infinitely better than not seeing the game at all.

Sunday’s attendance of just shy of 18k for a televised Sunday shows that people will go to games if the “product” is good enough.

I agree, I think it's something that is holding us back in the game in that we're creating this little bubble of football you can only view if you're there on the day otherwise you have to watch 5 minute highlight packages. It's so archaic to the way every other league is going and growing.

I wouldn't go as far to say that we need to jump to having all games on PPV or anything like that but baby steps into ensuring there is at least 1 non Celtic/Rangers game a weekend would be a start. You look at the TV picks for the split and I refuse to believe that the game is better served with all those picks versus us seeing Dundee vs County type relegation battles or even us vs Aberdeen/United in the race for Europe.

[Steve-O]

Done.

It’s a pity Ron Gordon posed away as I think he’d have been very progressive his thinking on how to televise Scottish football properly.

I think we’re still held back by clubs and some supporters’ negative perception on televising football.

Nothing compares to going to the games, watching on a small screen is incomparable to being at the games but is infinitely better than not seeing the game at all.

Sunday’s attendance of just shy of 18k for a televised Sunday shows that people will go to games if the “product” is good enough.

Agreed.

It is dark ages thinking to consider that attending a game and watching on TV is the same thing. They are two entirely different experiences and do not have to be mutually exclusive.

[gbhibby]

Done

[Viva_Palmeiras]

I wasn’t too sure about the link here. Is it about promotion to attract and retain better players? Quality improves with coaching primarily.

​Do you feel the quality of the Scottish Premiership would be better if the media coverage was also better?

[easty]

I wasn’t too sure about the link here. Is it about promotion to attract and retain better players? Quality improves with coaching primarily.

​Do you feel the quality of the Scottish Premiership would be better if the media coverage was also better?




Couldn’t you say better media coverage would involve better funding? If we had half the media coverage that the EPL has we’d be far better off, and the quality would likely rise.

[Tyler Durden]

Done.

It’s a pity Ron Gordon posed away as I think he’d have been very progressive his thinking on how to televise Scottish football properly.

I think we’re still held back by clubs and some supporters’ negative perception on televising football.

Nothing compares to going to the games, watching on a small screen is incomparable to being at the games but is infinitely better than not seeing the game at all.

Sunday’s attendance of just shy of 18k for a televised Sunday shows that people will go to games if the “product” is good enough.

Didn't Ron (along with Aberdeen and maybe one or two other clubs) instruct Deloitte to independently review the approach to TV rights? And then agree with Deloitte's assessment that basically the current approach is the best we can do?

Don't have time to look back on it right now, but that's how I recall that episode..... Happy to be corrected

[matty_f]

Didn't Ron (along with Aberdeen and maybe one or two other clubs) instruct Deloitte to independently review the approach to TV rights? And then agree with Deloitte's assessment that basically the current approach is the best we can do?

Don't have time to look back on it right now, but that's how I recall that episode..... Happy to be corrected
You could well be right, would be interested in seeing the scope of DeLoitte’s review.
There’s scope for proper disruption in the way that football is packaged and sold to audiences - who would have thought that Wrexham would become a globally followed team ten years ago? That hasn’t just lifted their profile but also that of the league’s.
You are obviously not going to get A list movie stars buying up Scottish clubs left, right, and centre but if you take us as an example, we’ve a connection to Michael B Jordan through BKFC, it’s not a wild leap of fantasy to suggest you could play on that to raise our profile.

I think the big issue - and one that focus groups used to inform the type of review DeLoitte would complete would be swung by - is that a lot of “traditional” fans wouldn’t want it until they see it.

Like the reaction to the iPhone - it took for people to see it and use it to know that they wanted it and now smart phones are potentially the single most used and essential device people have.

Our reference point for Scottish football coverage is in-house stuff done on a shoestring budget and barely marketed, and broadcast TV from broadcasters who focus on two clubs and can barely be bothered to make the effort to get the club badges right for whoever’s playing them. Not many folk are going to want more than that.

[WhileTheChief..]

I agree, I think it's something that is holding us back in the game in that we're creating this little bubble of football you can only view if you're there on the day otherwise you have to watch 5 minute highlight packages. It's so archaic to the way every other league is going and growing.

I wouldn't go as far to say that we need to jump to having all games on PPV or anything like that but baby steps into ensuring there is at least 1 non Celtic/Rangers game a weekend would be a start. You look at the TV picks for the split and I refuse to believe that the game is better served with all those picks versus us seeing Dundee vs County type relegation battles or even us vs Aberdeen/United in the race for Europe.

The market isn’t there for Dundee v Ross County games. Never has been, never will be.

This chat crops up from time to time, but the reality is we get the best tv deal we can.

I’ve no idea what Ron Gordon’s plans were, but if they were decent I’d imagine the club would be pursuing them.

Nothing wrong with the game in Scotland. I dunno why so many on here are always so eager to knock everything about it!

[matty_f]

The market isn’t there for Dundee v Ross County games. Never has been, never will be.

This chat crops up from time to time, but the reality is we get the best tv deal we can.

I’ve no idea what Ron Gordon’s plans were, but if they were decent I’d imagine the club would be pursuing them.

Nothing wrong with the game in Scotland. I dunno why so many on here are always so eager to knock everything about it!

The market isn’t there at the moment for broadcast media but to say there never would be for any coverage, I would challenge. I agree that it’s not there today and the way that football is packaged in Scotland today gives no incentive for anyone who doesn’t follow either team to be bothered about it.

I think more could be done around the whole marketing of the game to highlight storylines that make folk interested in games like that though.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Couldn’t you say better media coverage would involve better funding? If we had half the media coverage that the EPL has we’d be far better off, and the quality would likely rise.

yes I was being. Bit slow there. Suppose depends on the market rate we could attract. League of Wales matches or Leauge Of Ireland matches may be well covered but they’ll get peanuts.

[Centre Hawf]

The market isn’t there for Dundee v Ross County games. Never has been, never will be.

This chat crops up from time to time, but the reality is we get the best tv deal we can.

I’ve no idea what Ron Gordon’s plans were, but if they were decent I’d imagine the club would be pursuing them.

Nothing wrong with the game in Scotland. I dunno why so many on here are always so eager to knock everything about it!

I would disagree. There's an appetite for the Championship football on a Friday night on BBC. There is surely an appetite for Hibs/Aberdeen or Ross County/Dundee/Killie in the split. Doesn't mean it has to be on Sky or TNT for big bucks, I think the Premier deal is fairly decent with the only real downside being the games are consistent enough and it's a third platform to subscribe to. The problem is you have to try and pick the games that matter to the table at least.

I appreciate that for the most part you'd be preaching to the choir with these games and it would largely be a Scottish audience at first, but adding on even one extra non old firm game into the mix along with a proper media strategy for the league as a whole would be beneficial to the perception of the league not just being two teams. Not doing anything will stagnate the game again in a time where we could really do with pushing the boat out and being a bit more innovative by our standards. Even if it's just to serve the current audience, we deserve better than a weekly Old Firm away game every Sunday.

The issue we have with it being 'the best TV deal we can get' also is because we have this 4 games per stadium rule that means the only value is to hold onto all the games possible for the Old Firm visiting. I mean how can we have the best TV deal possible that can exit a season having not shown a handful of Edinburgh or Dundee Derbies for example?

[WhileTheChief..]

I think more could be done around the whole marketing of the game to highlight storylines that make folk interested in games like that though.

Maybe at a push if you're talking about the domestic audience, but I seriously doubt it. Even Dundee and Ross County fans barely watch their games!

There's no amount of spin or marketing is going to make games like that desirable to a European or global audience though.

There's nothing on this planet would make me watch a game involving 2 small teams from Turkey or Finland, for example. Same for every other league in the world.

Besides, when is this other audience supposed to watch our games? Presumably they are already football fans and like to watch their own teams!

Our league is fine.

This season, there's still 10 teams with something to play for with 5 games to go. That's decent.

I'd imagine most HIbs, Aberdeen, and Dundee Utd fans have enjoyed the season and have barely given the media a thought.

[WhileTheChief..]

I would disagree. There's an appetite for the Championship football on a Friday night on BBC. There is surely an appetite for Hibs/Aberdeen or Ross County/Dundee/Killie in the split. Doesn't mean it has to be on Sky or TNT for big bucks, I think the Premier deal is fairly decent with the only real downside being the games are consistent enough and it's a third platform to subscribe to. The problem is you have to try and pick the games that matter to the table at least.

I appreciate that for the most part you'd be preaching to the choir with these games and it would largely be a Scottish audience at first, but adding on even one extra non old firm game into the mix along with a proper media strategy for the league as a whole would be beneficial to the perception of the league not just being two teams. Not doing anything will stagnate the game again in a time where we could really do with pushing the boat out and being a bit more innovative by our standards. Even if it's just to serve the current audience, we deserve better than a weekly Old Firm away game every Sunday.

The issue we have with it being 'the best TV deal we can get' also is because we have this 4 games per stadium rule that means the only value is to hold onto all the games possible for the Old Firm visiting. I mean how can we have the best TV deal possible that can exit a season having not shown a handful of Edinburgh or Dundee Derbies for example?

Take away the 4 game thing and we'd probably end up with every Rangers and Celtic game being shown live, home and away.

Sky, and more importantly, the advertisers, will have every bit of data available to them when deciding which games to show.

They will know far better than any of us what the demand is for a Hibs Aberdeen game compared to Celtic away to Motherwell, for example. Kinda makes sense for them to show the games that will attract the biggest audience.

[hibsforeurope]

Was there not talk of some sort of club organised channel or platform to show games on.

Something like they do for the NFL might be worth looking at, especially with so many American owners who would know more about this now.

£100 a year (ball park figure) subscription and you can watch any game at any time. This would stop the need for multiple subscriptions.

The average (Non IPTV) audience per game is between 250,000-300,000, with the glasgow derby getting around 1.4 million viewers. If these figures signed up that would easily match the current deal and give more exposure to more clubs.

[Centre Hawf]

Take away the 4 game thing and we'd probably end up with every Rangers and Celtic game being shown live, home and away.

Sky, and more importantly, the advertisers, will have every bit of data available to them when deciding which games to show.

They will know far better than any of us what the demand is for a Hibs Aberdeen game compared to Celtic away to Motherwell, for example. Kinda makes sense for them to show the games that will attract the biggest audience.

I agree if you want to just get the full scope of 500k people (or whatever the figure is) then you'd just put Celtic/Rangers on and be done with it. But that shouldn't be what our only hope for a TV deal is, and while I'm not suggesting that we force Sky to stop showing their Old Firm games, my point is to try and add a package that allows/forces us to show more.

Sky are showing Derby vs Luton tomorrow for example, two terrible teams but the relegation storyline is there to justify it rather than just moving a Leeds or Burnley game to 12:30. Real Mallorca vs Leganes is the Premier pick this Saturday. I can watch all Non-League games on DAZN tomorrow and Monday if I wanted to, on regular weekends I can watch more Non-League football than I can Scottish. In fact I can watch more A-League Women's league games on a Saturday morning than I can teams from my own countries league. It's not about putting on only the biggest draw. I bet a TNT would happily show Aberdeen/Hibs at the same time as Sky have a Saturday Night Prem game on, or Sky would happily show Hearts/Motherwell shoot out for top 6 (even if it was a 0-0 stinker) during TNT's Saturday lunch time.

You have to create value for the broadcasters in places they're lacking any. We're just so far behind in selling ourselves it's frightening, maybe that's because we're scared to lose the Sky money again we don't want to rock the boat but it's just sad if that's where our game is at.

[hibsbollah]

To answer the OP, the amateur rubbish that masquerades as media coverage of our game absolutely does hold the sport back. So many pundits talk our game down as a national pastime.

[HarpOnHibee]

Couldn’t you say better media coverage would involve better funding? If we had half the media coverage that the EPL has we’d be far better off, and the quality would likely rise.

Is that really true though? It's not as if the pool of Scottish players would suddenly become substantially better. We'd perhaps be able to attract better talent from further afield, but that could inadvertently impact the progress and prospects of home grown players.

[matty_f]

Maybe at a push if you're talking about the domestic audience, but I seriously doubt it. Even Dundee and Ross County fans barely watch their games!

There's no amount of spin or marketing is going to make games like that desirable to a European or global audience though.

There's nothing on this planet would make me watch a game involving 2 small teams from Turkey or Finland, for example. Same for every other league in the world.

Besides, when is this other audience supposed to watch our games? Presumably they are already football fans and like to watch their own teams!

Our league is fine.

This season, there's still 10 teams with something to play for with 5 games to go. That's decent.

I'd imagine most HIbs, Aberdeen, and Dundee Utd fans have enjoyed the season and have barely given the media a thought.

Wrexham are the example of what can be done and what interest can be generated if you get it right.

Nobody would have said they wanted a documentary about Wrexham (or Salford, for another example) or been bothered their arse about watching the games but a compelling story about the work involved and, as importantly, the people surrounding it gives a real interest and a reason to watch.

You can’t at the same time say the game is fine while saying that even Dundee and Ross Co fans don’t watch their games.

Good content, packaged well, will bring a much bigger audience than we see today.

Even this short clip https://x.com/hibernianfc/status/1911479498979324210?s=46&t=9ECFsSDsGgie80A2m3HH1A has almost 100,000 views.

We need folk to think differently about how Scottish football can be packaged and presented.

[ancient hibee]

The SPFL should be encouraging the BBC to offer for a Friday night Premier League package instead of the Championship. Covering a football match costs peanuts compared to any studio show with a production company.The BBC would have to up their game and start training proper broadcasters/pundits instead of the current lot who are a turn off but done properly both Scottish football and BBC Scotland should benefit.

[hhibs]

Was there not talk of some sort of club organised channel or platform to show games on.

Something like they do for the NFL might be worth looking at, especially with so many American owners who would know more about this now.

£100 a year (ball park figure) subscription and you can watch any game at any time. This would stop the need for multiple subscriptions.

The average (Non IPTV) audience per game is between 250,000-300,000, with the glasgow derby getting around 1.4 million viewers. If these figures signed up that would easily match the current deal and give more exposure to more clubs.

I believe the Dutch league owns its own channel and have been successful in raising their income from their former deals with broadcasters,some research into how they operate could be very revealing.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

There should be a Netflix style category to suit each viewer type pick and mix around the globe depending on your prefs.

The blood and snotters / cloggers - favoured by our Neighbours
The Glamour Ties
The classicos/derbies
The romantics - for those loving a bit of a sing song celebration
TIFO mania
The passionistas - mentalists and pyros from the stands down on to the pitch
The Culture Vultures - featuring the Pirlos of the game
Famous/Incredible number 1s / 10s
midfield generals
The Enforcers
The Masters of …
4-4-2
The press
Whatever flavour or passing fad


etc…

[Dr What If?]

Completed, good luck.

To throw my own tupence in, I would argue it is related to how Scottish Football showcases itself that we see reflected on the tellybox. We have a league structure together with division names that are a copy of the English model....only poorer and smaller, we look cheap in comparison. We have a history of senior officials telling us that if one of two clubs were to go our whole league would die! Our officials tell the world we have a two team league and the rest don't matter!

BBC coverage is cheap, amateurish and very Glasgow focused......but so is the SFA and the SPFL! I find it hard to lay the blame for the state of our game on London when Glasgow is even worse.

[matty_f]

Completed, good luck.

To throw my own tupence in, I would argue it is related to how Scottish Football showcases itself that we see reflected on the tellybox. We have a league structure together with division names that are a copy of the English model....only poorer and smaller, we look cheap in comparison. We have a history of senior officials telling us that if one of two clubs were to go our whole league would die! Our officials tell the world we have a two team league and the rest don't matter!

BBC coverage is cheap, amateurish and very Glasgow focused......but so is the SFA and the SPFL! I find it hard to lay the blame for the state of our game on London when Glasgow is even worse.

I think this sums up well what part of the issue is - everything’s on a shoestring budget and it shows.

The EPL only grew to the monster it is now thanks to huge investment from Sky , which clubs used to completely overhaul the standard of the players they were able to sign and in turn made the league more attractive and brought in more money.

That ship has sailed for Scottish football so we need to approach it differently imho.

Viva Palmeria’s Netflix post is not that far from how I would approach it - get a major network like Netflix, Disney or Amazon to invest heavily and in return open the doors to the clubs for fly on the wall style documentaries, find the personal stories at each club - the big signings, the youth prospects, the player on his last chance to show he can cut it, the long term injured making their comeback, the beleaguered manager fighting to turn things around, the groundsman working on the pitch, the kitman who’s been at the club for twenty years, the fan who is just getting through life by hanging on to the joy they get from their football team etc

Package it with well presented games, enough cameras, good presenters, insightful analysis for the folk who want that, put the effort into showcasing what is good about the game and folk will buy it.

[Eyrie]

Was there not talk of some sort of club organised channel or platform to show games on.

Something like they do for the NFL might be worth looking at, especially with so many American owners who would know more about this now.

£100 a year (ball park figure) subscription and you can watch any game at any time. This would stop the need for multiple subscriptions.

The average (Non IPTV) audience per game is between 250,000-300,000, with the glasgow derby getting around 1.4 million viewers. If these figures signed up that would easily match the current deal and give more exposure to more clubs.

I just checked and I paid £180 for the online NFL coverage last season so any deal for Scottish football would be at least that and probably more.

Which reminds me, I need to watch the SuperBowl again :greengrin

[Skinninmonth17]

EDIT: A massive thank you to everyone that has submitted responses to my survey. You will not be able to submit any responses from now, as I have unpublished the form to analyse what has been submitted. Thank you again!

I am currently writing my dissertation which is based around the media’s coverage of Scottish football.

Whether it is satisfactory or if it is actually holding the game in Scotland back?

If anyone could take a minute or two to fill this survey out for me please, it would be very much appreciated![emoji3]

Thank you

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVW-huaJUug9zNZkuxQNhNlk_YGor2AdDNTY2XcPA2txwcFw/viewform?usp=sharing


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Just wanted to say a huge thank you everyone that submitted responses to my survey and contributed to my research. It is much appreciated!