SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan has told member clubs that the members’ body will be taking Rangers to the SFA as the fall-out escalates over the controversial cinch deal fiasco.
The Gers are prevented from endorsing aspects of the deal – worth a measly £1.6m per season over five seasons or £8m in total – due to pre-existing commercial contracts.
This means the Ibrox club haven’t shown any cinch branding at their stadium or promoted the online used-car sales website in their Scottish Premiership matches.
This has naturally drawn the ire of the SPFL, who were left red-faced when Rangers revealed they’d forewarned the body about the conflict of interest prior to the deal being signed.
Despite this, the SPFL appeared to ignore the warning from Rangers and are now upset that the Ibrox club is invoking the organisation’s own Rule 17.
Like a jilted lover who can’t bring themselves to name their former partner, the SPFL then sent out a cringe-worthy intimation to clubs over their plans to take the case to the SFA.
Here’s the letter via the Herald:
“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.”
Rangers have previously responded to the situation by emailing member clubs detailing their stand-point but also asking questions of the SPFL.
These include around a total of £500k in commission fees paid across five years to third parties who secured the contract.
