A new centralised commercial hub to revolutionise the promotion and marketing of football in Scotland has been announced.
The Scottish FA, Scottish Professional Football League, and Scottish Women’s Premier League have confirmed the creation of Scottish Football Marketing.
The new initiative with will recruit a team of ambitious commercial professionals to be based at Hampden Park, reporting to a commercial board appointed by the three bodies, with a view to harnessing a compelling and unified brand for Scottish football.
The ultimate aim will also be to increase revenues from enhanced data collection, sponsorship and licensing for the entire game.
The establishment of Scottish Football Marketing was one of the key pillars of the SPFL’s strategic review, approved earlier this season.
That review was driven by the late Ron Gordon of Hibs and also involved Aberdeen, Celtic, Hearts and Rangers. It has been endorsed by the SPFL and SFA.
The process will begin with the recruitment of a new Commercial Director for Scottish Football Marketing.
Ian Maxwell, Scottish FA Chief Executive: “Scottish football offers a compelling and unpredictable narrative on the field. We believe it is time to work smarter off the field, in an increasingly competitive marketplace, to reinforce the magic of our national game.
“We have seen similar models work well in football and across sport and entertainment and want to make sure Scottish football is as attractive as possible to fans of all ages, with an offering that will be attractive to new sponsors and partners.”
Neil Doncaster, SPFL Chief Executive: “During the pandemic, the whole of Scottish football worked in unison and the daily meetings of the Joint Response Group were vital in ensuring that clubs emerged intact from the huge challenges posed by Covid.
“That model, bringing together the considerable resources, skills, and energy of the entire sport, showed how much more we can achieve when we all pull together.
“The SPFL recently announced record turnover and record fees returned to our 42 clubs. The creation of Scottish Football Marketing gives the game a major strategic advantage in developing new and attractive commercial propositions which will, in turn, further increase revenues for the benefit of fans and clubs alike.
“Ron Gordon was a driving force of the Scottish Football Marketing project and we hope its creation will be a legacy of his all-too-short time in Scottish football.”
Fiona McIntyre, the SWPL’s Managing Director, added: “The SWPL has come a long way in a very short space of time, and underpinning this early progress has been a culture of collaboration across SWPL clubs, the SPFL, and the Scottish FA.
“In our first season of existence, we have already created record-breaking partnerships with Sky Sports, BBC Scotland, BBC ALBA and Mitre. Scottish Football Marketing is an innovative and exciting development for Scottish football and our involvement will further strengthen elite women’s football in Scotland – and accelerate the growth of the women’s game in this country.”
