SPFL announce record financial results ‘in 132-year history’ as cinch and Sky Sports deals hailed as key contributors

The SPFL have announced a record set of financial results for the 2021/22 season which have been hailed as the “strongest in the 132-year history of the league.”

The accounts from Scottish football’s governing body show its highest-ever turnover of £39,523,000, an increase of 7% from £36,784,000 the previous year.

They have also revealed a 5% increase in club fees at £29,717,000 up 5% from £28,358,000 in season 2020/21 with additional payments including prize money and TV facility fee payments from the Premier Sports Cup of £2.78m.

The figures also shows a 5% increase on overseas income and aggregate staff remuneration down 6%.

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster praised title sponsors cinch and lead broadcast partners Sky Sports as key contributors to the financial figures - just 48 hours after league officials secured a record-breaking £150m TV deal.

He said: “These record results are extremely encouraging for our game and reflect the positive impact of the cinch title sponsorship, the largest single sponsorship deal in the history of the league, and the ongoing support that we continue to enjoy from Sky Sports and our other broadcast partners.

“It’s also important to recognise the outstanding commitment of our small team at the SPFL, which works tirelessly on behalf of the 42 member clubs, and deserves huge credit for the way the league operations continued through the pandemic.

“With two of our clubs in the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time since Season 2007/08, and on the back of our recently-announced long-term contract with Sky SPorts, the SPFL can look forward with real confidence to the years ahead.”

Murdoch MacLennan, chairman of the SPFL, commented: “It’s to the enormous credit of Neil and his management team that they have delivered the trongest set of financial results in the 132-year history of the league.

“These results, of course, reflect the resilience and performance of the 42 member clubs of the SPFL - and their hugely committed fans - in ensuring that the SPFL remains the most dramatic, passionate, and exciting league in European football.”

Calum Beattie, who has served as the SPFL’s company secretary for the past two years, has been promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer.

He stated: “The recent work of the SPFL’s Strategy Group has been the catalyst for a range of initiatives across the commercial and operational sides of the business.

“There his a host of positive and exciting opportunities in the pipeline and I’m looking forward to assisting the Chief Executive in delivering these in my new role.”