Fans hit out at Rangers v Kilmarnock TV blackout

Rangers supporters have hit out a global TV blackout tonight of the Scottish Cup replay with Kilmarnock when English and French matches will be shown live all over the world.

Rangers' Jermain Defoe trains ahead of the Scottish Cup replay against Kilmarnock. Picture: SNS

Premier Sports are abiding by a Uefa directive prohibiting live coverage of games in competition to the Champions League and will show delayed action from 10.10pm.

However, the Championship clash between Derby and Millwall is going out live on Sky Sports, via the red button and the app, while Paris Saint-Germain v Montpellier in Ligue 1 is live on BT Sports/ESPN – the same company that’s showing Atletico Madrid v Juventus and Schalke v Manchester City in the Champions League.

The PSG clash, rescheduled due to yellow vest troubles in Paris, is also being screened live in over 100 other countries worldwide.

Club channel Rangers TV can’t show the Ibrox action either, with a 24-hour embargo placed on them.

Ironically, the only way fans can follow the action live is to listen to Radio Scotland, who won’t even be at Ibrox due to the BBC’s long-running dispute with Rangers and will be commentating off the TV feed from Premier Sports.

Mark Dingwall, who runs Rangers fans’ website Follow Follow, said: “It seems there is one rule for the larger nations and another for the rest – either that or they simply don’t care.

“It doesn’t surprise me that the EFL and the French League will happily flout the Uefa directive because even if the national associations are fined, it’s hardly going to hurt them financially.

“It just makes a mockery of the whole thing.

“There are thousands of supporters all over the world who are being denied the opportunity of watching live coverage of what has become [Rangers’] most important game of the season.

“Why should they be prevented from watching the action from Ibrox? It is utterly ridiculous and the Uefa directive should be scrapped.

“I know that Premier Sports are broadcasting delayed coverage, but RangersTV can’t show anything for 24 hours. It’s crazy.

“The only way Rangers supporters can get live coverage of the replay with Killie is by listening to Radio Scotland who won’t be at Ibrox but will be commentating off a live feed.

“How utterly ironic and ridiculous is that?”