Hearts vs Hibs Sky Sports TV snub explained as coverage plans for Celtic match announced

Sky Sports have opted to show Hearts vs Celtic instead of the second Tynecastle derby

The February Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle will not be broadcast on Sky Sports with the TV provider opting to cover the Jambos next game at home against Celtic instead.

Hearts and Hibs last faced each other on 27 December at Easter Road with late drama seeing both sides missing a penalty and Lawrence Shankland scoring an injury-time winner to send the Hibees silent. However, next month the cameras will be nowhere to be seen and, on the night in question, will instead be focusing on Livingston's home fixture to Motherwell.

The terms of the current broadcast deal with Sky mean that only four home matches for each team can be broadcast per season. While this will be improved upon for next season, with five home matches being shown for each team, Hearts have only one game left with the broadcasting provider opting to show Celtic over an Edinburgh derby.

At present the £150 million deal shows 48 games, increased to 60 by the summer of 2029. As well as the four home matches being increased to five, Sky Sports will also be granted the first refusal buying up two further bundles of matches, potentially taking the total number of games on the box to 80.

Other games for mid-February and early-March have also been established with Sky Sports ready to show St Johnstone vs Rangers; Motherwell vs Celtic and Ross County vs St Mirren.

Fans have already been quick to criticise the decision to once again snub the Edinburgh Derby, with one taking to social media to say: "That needs changed. That rule can only be to suit Celtic and Rangers and their apparent aversion to screening home games."

SPFL Mediawatch also commented on the decision saying: "They had to pick one that they'd think would do better and went for the Celtic game because it's a weekend game. Four games per ground is just terrible."