18 team scottish premiership

[bearbear1]

The 14 team idea sounds the fairest in terms of post split fixtures. But really don’t think anything we do will improve the league without significant external investment. We could however do things to make the game more interesting to external investors:

Completely reconfigure the league cup. Semi finalists qualify for round robin matches and invite foreign teams from, just spitballing, NI, ROI, India, China or something to compete in a condensed final stage over Christmas. Different at least, expand the tv market to once off subscribers from invited countries….

Different points system - 5 for a win, 3 for score draw, 2 for scoreless draw, 1 for ‘scoring defeat’ similar to rugby bonus points. Crazy. Indeed. but could make for more exciting matches, and add meaning and drama to every part of a match. Might encourage attacking football, and would lead to more entertaining matches - even if a team is winning 3-0, there’s a point up for grabs for the losers, encouraging them to attack for something rather than just shut up shop.

Just a few that popped into my head. As it stands, despite having one of the biggest fixtures in the world, tv isn’t interested in our product. I don’t think changing the number of teams isn’t the top league will have any impact on how it’s viewed whatsoever.

 

[Cuparman]

Needs someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Agree, seems unlikely, but I fear the longer we simply play it safe, the worse it will get.

Absolutely, an 18 team league should be more attractive to the likes of Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen, only 4 games in total a season v the Old Firm should give them a realistic chance of winning the league, but they would rather fleece our fans of ticket money twice a season and take the extra beating.

 

[JAH90]

Think the majority like myself think the split is a farce.
I’d suggest keeping 12, playing each other 4 times (to keep Sky happy) - 44 games. Start the league a month early (start July) to get the smaller teams more up to speed so they aren’t getting put out of Europe by part timers from countries we never knew existed. Play weekend and midweek (if not in Europe) for the first 6-8 weeks while the weather is at its best. 3 week Jan break. Season ends mid April. Allowing the 2.5 months before restart.
Top tier teams enter both cups 2 rounds later (to help keep total game numbers down). No replays in the cup, one off game in each round.

No need to have 3 lower leagues. Combine them to 2 (16 in each - 2 additional teams up), including the B teams from Rangers and them. They play each other twice, enter cups at the start (including B teams).

Bottom 2 in the premier league go down. 3rd bottom in playoff final. Top 2 in championship come up, 3rd and 4th playoff to enter playoff final with 3rd bottom from premier league. Repeat down to the other 2 leagues.

 

[Donsky]

Think the majority like myself think the split is a farce.
I’d suggest keeping 12, playing each other 4 times (to keep Sky happy) - 44 games. Start the league a month early (start July) to get the smaller teams more up to speed so they aren’t getting put out of Europe by part timers from countries we never knew existed. Play weekend and midweek (if not in Europe) for the first 6-8 weeks while the weather is at its best. 3 week Jan break. Season ends mid April. Allowing the 2.5 months before restart.
Top tier teams enter both cups 2 rounds later (to help keep total game numbers down). No replays in the cup, one off game in each round.

No need to have 3 lower leagues. Combine them to 2 (16 in each - 2 additional teams up), including the B teams from Rangers and them. They play each other twice, enter cups at the start (including B teams).

Bottom 2 in the premier league go down. 3rd bottom in playoff final. Top 2 in championship come up, 3rd and 4th playoff to enter playoff final with 3rd bottom from premier league. Repeat down to the other 2 leagues.

It's not just to keep Sky happy, it generates a lot of additional revenue for all clubs, including ourselves. It is unlikely that either side of the Old Firm would vote to play each other only twice, as we both must make fortunes from hospitality and matchday sponsorship for those games.

 

[Clydevalley]

I'm very much pro league expansion.

Is there even an argument that the Old Firm is crucial to our TV deals anymore in a post 2012 world?

Fans are fed up of the current format. Attendances would likely increase if there was greater variety. That would lead to a better competition overall.

Absolute nonsense, do you really think more Motherwell fans would turn up for a home game against the likes of Dunfermline or Falkirk than a second game against Hearts or Hibs just because they are only going to play them once at home per season ?