SPFL confident of securing commercial deals

Neil Doncaster is confident of securing sponsorship deals for both the Scottish Professional Football League and the Scottish League Cup with the new season looming.

The SPFL chief executive says talks are under way with a number of companies who are interested in backing the 
competitions.

The newly-created SPFL is seeking sponsorship after deals with Clydesdale Bank and Irn-Bru for the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish Football League respectively came to an end, while what was previously known as the Scottish Communities League Cup was backed by the Scottish 
government.

Speaking at today’s League Cup draw at Hampden, 
Doncaster said: “We have now inherited the League Cup within the SPFL and we will talk to people who are interested in partnering with us. We’ve had a number of good sponsors over the years and we are confident, with the excitement that’s generated through the Scottish League Cup, that it will be 
appealing.

“Particularly given the unpredictability of the competition, with St Mirren and Kilmarnock winning it in recent years, we certainly hope that we will be engaging with companies who want to be part of the excitement of the Scottish League Cup. We are talking to a lot of different companies who are interested in being part of Scottish football.

“We are interested in talking to as many people as possible who want to be part of the great story that is Scottish football.”

On the issue of naming the leagues within the merged SPFL, Doncaster added: 
“Re-branding of the whole competition and what it means, aside from the names, that’s something that really started in earnest as soon as the reconstruction was complete. We are hopeful of announcing something soon.”

Today was the deadline for first offers for Hearts to be 
submitted with the club’s 
administrators BDO, with three bids received for the crisis-hit club.

Doncaster said: “My hope is that there is as much stability as possible at all 42 member clubs.