Rangers and SPFL row over as governing body apologises to Ibrox club
Rangers had been in dispute with the SPFL about their arrangement with the league's main sponsor cinch; the governing body will commission an independent review to avoid any similar disputes
Friday 14 July 2023 17:52, UK
The dispute between Rangers and the SPFL is over with the governing body apologising to the club.
Rangers had refused to take part in any promotion for the league's main sponsor cinch, citing a conflict with their own deal with Park's of Hamilton - a coach company owned by former chairman Douglas Park.
The governing body have now apologised for the long-running dispute, as well as any "reputational damage caused to Rangers or Park's."
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An independent review of governance will also been commissioned to help ensure any similar disputes are avoided in the future.
A statement from the SPFL confirmed the dispute had been resolved and a portion of legal costs will be met by the league, while Rangers confirmed an apology had been received.
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It read: "The Scottish Professional Football League, Rangers, and Park's of Hamilton have confirmed that the long-running dispute between them in relation to the SPFL's title sponsorship contract with cinch has been brought to an end.
"The SPFL has accepted that Rangers had a pre-existing contract with Park's at the point that the SPFL entered into its title sponsorship contract with cinch in June 2021.
"All three parties have now agreed to withdraw the resulting Scottish FA arbitration, with the SPFL making a contribution to the costs of Rangers and Park's. These sums will be donated to charity. The SPFL regrets any damage to the reputation of Rangers and Park's as a result of the dispute."
SPFL Chairman, Murdoch MacLennan, said: "We are delighted to have finally drawn a line under this dispute following discussions between ourselves and Rangers, and we are keen to do all we can to learn from this protracted disagreement.
"I am particularly grateful for the constructive approach shown by all parties in helping resolve this long-running situation and am very happy to apologise if there has been any damage to the reputation of Rangers FC or Park's of Hamilton.
"Going forward, we have also agreed to commission an independent review of governance to help ensure the SPFL can avoid any such dispute in the future. This review will commence in October 2023."
Scottish Premiership and SWPL on Sky Sports
Sky Sports - Next season up to 48 cinch Premiership games will be available across Sky Sports' flagship channels, including Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event, plus at least five SWPL matches. From 2024/25, up to 60 cinch Premiership will be live on Sky Sports, in addition to the SWPL.
Sky Sports News - Running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Scottish football fans can enjoy Sky Sports News' (channel 409) rolling editorial coverage of the cinch Premiership and SWPL throughout the season.
Sky Sports Digital - Follow all the latest from Scottish football across SkySports.com and app, including exclusive features and interviews, plus dedicated live blog coverage, in-game clips from matches live on Sky Sports and free highlights.
Sky Sports Social - Alongside coverage and visibility for the league across all Sky Sports' main social media channels, the bespoke Twitter channel @ScotlandSky will continue to be the home of all Scottish football content on Sky Sports.
Highlights show - Tune in for a dedicated round-up from the cinch Premiership every week on Sky Sports Football.
To download the Sky Sports app click here, to visit Sky Sports website click here.
Sky Sports is the home of domestic football in the UK and Ireland, with more than 400 games per season across the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Women's Premier League, Premier League, WSL, and EFL.
