Neil Doncaster reveals Rangers row lessons learned as SPFL on verge of TWO new lucrative deals – Q&A in full

Neil Doncaster has revealed the SPFL are on the verge of securing a new sponsorship deal that will be the most lucrative ever - and insists lessons have been learned over the Rangers row that erupted after the cinch partnership.

Hampden chiefs brokered a deal with the car dealer back in 2021 worth around £1.6 million a year over five years but they got out of it early, leaving the SPFL on the hunt for a replacement. It proved to be a controversial agreement with the league forced to apologise to Rangers and pay a six-figure compensation as it was in conflict with their own Park Motor Group deal, owned by former Ibrox chairman Douglas Park.

The row was one of a number of controversies during Doncaster’s time at the helm and he made a rare appearance after 15 years in the job as he spoke to BBC Sportsound as he issued a sponsorship update and revealed they have invited offers for a 20-game package over and above Sky’s 60-game deal which kicks in next season. Here are some of the key points from his wide-ranging Q&A.

Cinch are coming out of the contract this summer and I’m optimistic we’ll have a replacement for the start of the new season. Brendan Napier has been the Commercial Director of Scottish Football Marketing and that’s one of the inventions Ron Gordon, God bless him, brought to the table. He was keen we should work together to maximise sponsorship so he came up with this concept so the SFA, SPFL and SWPL all work together and Brendan goes out on behalf of the whole of the sixth floor at Hampden. It’s never done until it’s done. It’s been a difficult market but Scottish football overall is in a good place. It doesn’t do any harm that we’re going to the Euros and have an exciting competition at the top of the cinch