Scottish FA dismayed by TV plan

Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith insists that making Scotland matches free-to-air would be damaging.
A department of culture, media and sport review has recommended that home and away football qualifiers for the home nations should be listed.

"If the revenue stream is not there then it's going to have a disastrous effect on the game," said Smith.
He also hinted that he would like to see the SFA compensated if any future deal resulted in a financial shortfall.

The government's recommendations for revised "listed events" that are made available to watch for free on terrestrial television was published on Friday.

The panel was headed by former FA executive director David Davies and England's home Ashes Tests will return to free-to-air television from 2016 if the suggestions are adopted.

Wimbledon tennis, golf's Open and Welsh Six Nations matches in Wales fall into the same category.
However, the Winter Olympics, flat racing's showpiece, the Epsom Derby, and rugby league's Challenge Cup final have been removed.

The addition of away football qualifiers has come as a surprise and will cause further dismay for the Scottish FA.

Smith said any reduction in revenue would dramatically reduce the SFA's investment in grassroots football and harm the game in Scotland.

"That's why we've gone with satellite. It's nothing to do with depriving supporters from seeing football," he told BBC Scotland.

"It seems like a great idea to say your games should be free-to-air.

"It sounds like you're really considering the public, but it would have serious financial repercussions in terms of income that we bring in to the SFA."