Rangers cinch battle takes new twist as SFA asked to intervene in SPFL sponsorship row

The SPFL have asked the Scottish FA to intervene in their row with Rangers over the promotion of £8m title sponsor cinch.

Dundee United strips bore the Cinch branding at Tannadice on Saturday - but Rangers' did not. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

The Ibrox club are at loggerheads with the league after refusing to advertise the online car firm due to a conflict of interest with their own pre-existing sponsorship deal with chairman Douglas Park’s motor company.

Last season's Scottish champions have not displayed the cinch logo on their shirts in either of their two opening Premiership matches or on advertising hoardings around their stadium, and claim that they are within their rights to do so.

In a letter to clubs last week, Gers managing director Stuart Robertson cited SPFL Rule I7 which “protects the commercial interests of all members”, adding: “Rangers has complied with and will continue to comply with the SPFL rules and fulfil all sponsorship obligations which do not conflict with our pre-existing contractual obligations."

There are fears that Rangers' stance could lead to the record deal with cinch, worth around £1.6 per season over five years, being terminated, leading to a loss of vital revenue for clubs, and after discussions between the parties failed to provide a resolution, the SPFL have now "reluctanctly" referred the matter to the SFA.

A letter to clubs from SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan published in The Mail read: “The one SPFL club that has failed to deliver club inventory for cinch is also hampering the SPFL from promoting the SPFL's relationship with cinch by, for example, refusing to permit cinch-branded interview backboards to be delivered to, or used at, its home ground and to be used for broadcast partner interviews with club representatives at away matches.

“At their opening league match, none of that club's players wore the cinch branded sleeve patch; there were no LED advertising or static advertising boards with cinch branding allowed in the stadium; and the club concerned also refused to allow the use of the standard SPFL broadcast partner interview backdrop board displaying cinch branding.

“Over several weeks now, your board has sought to engage with the club concerned to find a way through this very serious impasse.

“However, we have been met with a refusal to give the board sight of any pre-existing third-party contract that would prevent the club from providing inventory for cinch.

“The refusal by one of our clubs to provide inventory for cinch presents a real and substantial commercial risk to the SPFL – and one which materially threatens the SPFL's fee payments to all 42 SPFL clubs.

“This is the first time in the history of the SPFL, or the SPL before that, where a club has not provided agreed inventory to the League for use in fulfilling a commercial Contract.

“Your board considers it has been left with no realistic option, in compliance with Scottish FA articles, other than to refer this dispute to Scottish FA arbitration. Your Board has reached this conclusion with great reluctance.

“However, your board believes that it has a clear obligation to embark upon this course of action to protect and advance the interests of the SPFL and all of its member clubs.”

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