Scotland vs Croatia: “It’s time for broadcasters to step up”
It’s time for broadcasters in the United Kingdom to step up and once and for all sort out the mess regarding the viewership of Scotland’s International football matches.
Scotland fans shouldn’t have to fork out for subscriptions to see their country play. It’s time to make it a given that anyone and everyone living in this wonderful land can see their team on screen.
According to The Edinburgh Evening News, It’s the first time a competitive Scotland game hasn’t been on TV this side of the millennium.
That is a powerful statistic, and shows the importance of getting these matches our light boxes.
For countless years, the England National Team’s matches have been aired on traditional terrestrial television. In Scotland that comes in the form of STV. Yes, on Scottish TV, the England games have always been free to watch. Whilst us long suffering Scotland fans have had to fork out for our hefty subscriptions in order to watch our country play.
That doesn’t seem fair, considering the pair of countries are often competing in the same competitions – after all ITV house the STV brand, so have the same base leadership and principles.
Interestingly, it is Nordic broadcaster Viaplay Sports who hold the rights to air Scotland’s Nations League matches up until 2028. However, they have pulled their TV screenings from the UK and now no longer have a platform here amid financial concerns.
Last months international break saw Scotland face Poland and Portugal. Due to a sub licensing agreement ITV picked up the rights to show the games on television, giving grateful Scotland supporters the chance to cheer on their homeland for free.
However, this time around, no UK broadcasters have agreed to sub license the matches before the deadline to do so expired.
In a bizarre scenario, this means the two matches against Croatia and Portugal will only be available to view on the Viaplay sports YouTube channel. These are available to view for free, which is a good piece of news, but dig ever so slightly under the surface and you can see this comes attached with many problems.
Let’s be frank – Scotland are known for being mediocre (at best) at football. There is always talk, debate and discussion surrounding how we can better ourselves and develop more young talent for both the men’s and the women’s matches.
But if wee boys and girls can’t watch their superheroes representing Scotland – how are we meant to inspire the next generation of this nation?
Of course, its much deeper rooted than that – but first and foremost we need these children to show an interest in our sport, and pay walling our matches, or just not having them on TV at all, is a sure-fire way to ensure that we stay, well, s****, at football.
In my family, the slighter older folk are not all that clued up when it comes to modern technology.
This coming weekend, plenty people will be eager to watch these matches but may not have YouTube accounts, or may not know how to go about the daunting task of hooking up a laptop to the TV. Don’t even mention the word ‘Cast’ – that’s a step to far for most of the folk in my family.
I’m sure that will be similar scenario for many in the country, and a falling out over ‘sorting’ the telly will be a prospect languishing at the back of the mind for many young people across the nation.
Many folks’ idea scenario of watching the Scot’s play is to head to the boozer with their pals to take in the match alongside a few pints of the good stuff.
However, the games being on YouTube could be a real hitch in proceedings for many pubs during this international break.
If your local is what could be deemed an ‘old mans pub’, chances are they probably don’t have smart TV. This means getting YouTube casted to the telly is going to cause several issues, leaving pubs withs a real headache of how best to get the game on.
And if they can’t show it, well that’s a whole other serious of issues opening up. No game means less punters, leading to less pints sold, and lower money earned for the day, all tying together to provide a small lull in our economy right across the country.
When Scotland is together, as a nation, that is when we are at our best. Get our games on the TV, and let people naturally come together, all behind the same cause. We are a wee nation, and need each other to prosper – petty arguments over who should hold rights for matches are worthless, and won’t better us.
It is time for the big broadcasters within the Country to step up and sort this viewership mess, once and for all.
We might still lose every match, but that’s besides the point.
