SPFL posts history-breaking financial results as Scottish clubs net £50m windfall

Scottish Professional Football League chief executive Neil Doncaster has hailed the work of its 42 member clubs after the organisation posted “by far the strongest financial results in the SPFL’s history”.

The SPFL’s latest accounts show that it made £58 million in income and was able to distribute £49.6m to the clubs - closing in on the target of £50m by 2029. Fees paid to its members by the SPFL also rose by 17 per cent to £41.2m.

The SPFL claims that increased revenue is down to several factors, including broadcast income from Sky Sports and Premier Sports and their main sponsorship deal with bookmaker William Hill.

SPFL chief Neil Doncaster hailed the work of its member clubs. | SNS Group

“In an increasingly competitive international rights market, these results are testament to the enduring attraction of the SPFL,” said Doncaster.

“These are by far the strongest financial results in the SPFL’s history, with turnover and total group distributions both surpassing the records set last year, and we are determined to maintain that momentum.

“Thanks to a great deal of hard work by clubs and individuals right across the SPFL, we’ve made substantial progress towards our £50 million strategic target for club distributions.

“Crucially, as well as record-breaking commercial income, our member clubs have also welcomed the highest yearly attendances in the SPFL era, following one of the most exciting seasons Scottish football has ever experienced. That drama and energy has been reflected in the level of interest we’ve seen from our broadcast and commercial partners, in a season that saw a record-breaking number of games broadcast live.

“Successfully balancing broadcast revenue with match-day attendances and the unique atmosphere created within packed stadia is central to the SPFL being recognised widely as one of the most intense, compelling, and emotive sporting competitions in the world.”

SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan added: “These latest accounts are extremely encouraging and a real credit to the partnerships between the small, dedicated staff at the SPFL and our member clubs.

“These record-breaking figures demonstrate Scottish football’s incredible popularity, and we believe that by working closely with the 42 SPFL clubs across all four divisions, we can deliver our aim to achieve £50m of distributions to members this season - which would be two years ahead of the ambitious target we set ourselves four years ago.”

Group distributions comprise fees paid to clubs through the ladder system (which gives a fixed percentage of fees based on where each club finishes in the league), parachute payments, money paid to ScottishPower Women’s Premier League clubs, prize money in the Premier Sports Cup and KDM Evolution Trophy, and facility fees paid in respect of William Hill Premiership matches shown on Premier Sports.”