Pundits blast SPFL as 'season defining' Aberdeen v Hibs clash snubbed by broadcasters

Hibs biggest game of the season so far takes place at Pittodrie this weekend as they take on Aberdeen in a match that will play a large part in the race to finish third in the Scottish Premiership.

It’s a monumental match for both sides and if you do not have a ticket for it then you will not be able to watch the action live. Sky Sports have selected Dundee United vs Celtic at Tannadice for live broadcast with Brendan Rodgers’ side only needing a point to confirm themselves as champions.

There was perhaps little uproar at the time the selections were announced, most likely as supporters were in no way surprised by the decision. However, former players Michael Stewart and Alan Hutton have blasted the SPFL for not being able to find a way to get this games and others of this importance shown live.

Aberdeen vs Hibs not selected for broadcast with Dundee United v Celtic shown live on Sky Sports

Speaking on Premier Sports Scottish Social Club show this week, Stewart said: “This is a game that can define a football season. For me obviously it's been great, Premier [Sports], 20 extra games this season but they had to be shown pre-split, not able to show post-split fixtures, which from the league's perspective, oh my word, it's like covering a cup competition and then getting to the final and going, no we can't show the final.

“Surely you want to be shown these games where it's all on the line, that's the ones that folk are interested in.Sky are the major broadcasters, they've got the rights to be able to show as many games as they want, they've got more games to show, but equally you can understand them wanting to hold on to those bigger games. But they're not showing these ones.

“If they don't want to show them, surely it should be within the league's gift to get everyone round the table, thrash out a deal and get shown our best games. The games that people want to watch, that's how you market and push a product."

Hutton added: "Why did the league not want that? When we were talking about it yesterday, it genuinely baffles you that it's coming to such a big moment and if Sky's not taking them, everybody wants to see them, surely it's in their best interest for more eyes to be on our game at the best moment in time. It's incredible."

The strongest reaction came from the show’s host Darrell Currie, a familiar face to Scottish football fans and an experience broadcaster. He said: “I know some of the guys that work at Sky, that they'd be bothered at all as long as there was no clash against their game with another broadcaster showing another game, as long as it didn't affect them at all.

“Michael, we go back quite a long way. Alan, we've worked together now for a while as well. Have I said this for more than a decade about Neil Doncaster and the way the SPFL is run and how somebody who apparently leads that organisation, I understand the club's got the final say in the end, can hide behind decisions like this? We get VAR. Neil's the first guy out telling everyone how it's about time we had VAR and it's an absolute disaster. Where's Neil at that point?

“Okay, we want more games on TV. All right, so another deal has been done this season. That's good, more games have been on TV. How do we get the best games on TV towards the end of the season? This is what I want to hear from Neil Doncaster who earns £450,000 a year coming out and trying to find solutions and not hiding behind the clubs.

“I've said it for a decade now. Even when we were broadcasting the games back in the day with different broadcasters. It's great that there's more games on this season, but you can't blame the broadcasters in the end. The leading guys like Neil Doncaster have to step up."

TV selections impacting attendances ‘a nonsense’ says former Hearts and Hibs midfielder Michael Stewart

Stewart concluded the segment by adding: “I get, obviously, there are many, you know, parties involved and you've got to try to come to an agreement on things. Ultimately, what this year has shown is the bluff and the nonsense of the line that was pumped out for years about,oh, it's great, we've got more money per game and it means that fans won't affect their tendencies showing more games on the telly. We are the only league country in the world that actively tries to show less games.

“Thankfully, this season, we are showing more games and what is it showing? That attendances are not affected. It was a nonsense then, it's a nonsense now and it's a nonsense when you start showing the best games post-split because that's ultimately what most people want to do. You're talking about 20,000 people can get into Pittodrie to watch that game. That's it, only 20,000.”

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