Hibs v Kilmarnock: Crunch match won’t be televised

Danny Handling and Manuel Pascali vie for the ball during Hibernian's 3-0 win over Kilmarnock last year. Picture: Phil Wilkinson

The SPFL’s broadcast deal only allows a certain amount of live matches from each ground to be shown on either BT Sport or Sky Sports in the one season, and it is believed that TV firms have already reached the limit with Hibernian’s ground Easter Road.

Eleventh-hour discussions to try and resolve the issue broke down, and the crucial ninety minutes will now not be shown on TV at all.

BT Sport had left it until after the midweek Premiership matches before deciding which bottom-six clash to cover, with staff preparing for the Easter Road match when it emerged that the game would not be covered.

A tweet from @btsportspfl said they would not be televising the match “as we’ve been unable to get approval from the SPFL and the home club [Hibs].”

A spokesperson added: “We had hoped to broadcast Hibernian v Kilmarnock live tomorrow at lunchtime. The match selection was requested this week, however we have been unable to get a response from the SPFL that indicates an approval from the home club.

“As a result BT Sport regrets that it will not be able to show a Scottish game tomorrow, but we look forward to showing Aberdeen v Motherwell on Sunday.”

That match, at Pittodrie, will decide who finishes second in the Premiership.

A spokesman for The SPFL said: “While it’s disappointing that no agreement was reached to allow tomorrow’s Hibernian v Kilmarnock Premiership match to be shown live on TV, any SPFL member club is entitled to refuse permission for live TV coverage at a home league game after it has fulfilled its agreed quota for the season.