Neil Doncaster coy on SPFL sponsorship deal as chief hints at lucrative new agreement

Neil Doncaster is confident of having replacement sponsorship in place for the SPFL for the start of next season.

The chief executive appeared on BBC Scotland this afternoon to discuss a number of issues including the new deal hopes as well as the Rangers legal row and television agreements. Current sponsors cinch have opted to pull out of their planned five-year deal early and that has put some pressure on the CEO to have plans in place.

But despite stopping short of confirming any sponsors or financial figures involved, Doncaster did admit he's hoping to have a lucrative contract in place to bring more cash to clubs than the current agreement. "Cinch are coming out of the contract this summer and I’m optimistic we’ll have a replacement for the start of the new season," he said.

"Brendan Napier has been the Commercial Director of Scottish Football Marketing and that’s one of the inventions Ron Gordon, God bless him, brought to the table.

"He was keen we should work together to maximise sponsorship so he came up with this concept so the SFA, SPFL and SWPL all work together and Brendan goes out on behalf of the whole of the sixth floor at Hampden. It’s never done until it’s done.

"It’s been a difficult market but Scottish football overall is in a good place. It doesn’t do any harm that we’re going to the Euros and have an exciting competition add the top of the cinch Premiership and had record viewing numbers in terms of the recent Rangers vs Celtic game. I hope the new deal will be better financially for the clubs."

Pressed on giving a timeline for the new sponsors' announcement, Doncaster refused: "I'm not gonna do that."