By Mark Dingwall
Follow Follow can reveal that the SPFL can only move a semi final game from Hampden if they agreed to pay the match fee for both games – the contract stipulates £115,000 per match. The company which runs Hampden, effectively Queens Park FC, are holding the SPFL to that agreement.
The Scottish Rugby Union who own Murrayfield have asked for a match fee of £120,000 AND 20% of the gate money. Taking an average of £20 a ticket for the 67,000 capacity rugby ground that is 20% of roughly £1.3million – around £260,000.
The total bill to Scottish football will be in the region of £380,000 for this farce.
Doncaster has apparently gone to “try and sell it to the SPFL Board.” He hasn’t baulked at these figures.
Missing, as usual, from a leadership role in all this is SPFL Chairman Murdoch MacLennan who also has the unaddressed conflict of interest to face considering his support for Celtic; and his employment at the behest of two major Celtic shareholders.
As I understand it the SPFL will be paying for two games at Hampden come what may – even if only one takes place. The SRU are playing hardball.
It looks like the solution Doncaster & Co. favour is to throw the punters’ money at the problem and hope the public have short memories.
