SCOTTISH football is £10.6million better off after a broadcasting deal was agreed between the SPFL and BBC which also promised better match coverage across all its platforms.
The four-year contract - worth £2.8m per season - is almost double the previous agreement and will run from August following several months of talks.
Supporters critical of the BBC's Scottish football output, both television and radio, would have been encouraged by a pledge to enhance the match coverage on flagship show Sportscene, along with additional social media clips and extensive highlights on the BBC Sport website.
There will also be more cameras at matches in a bid to better showcase the game over the next four years. There has also been a suggestion that Sportscene, currently shown late on a Sunday night, will be given an earlier and more accessible timeslot.
All four leagues, the Ladbrokes Premiership, Championship, League 1 and League 2 will be covered under the new deal from the start of the next campaign,
SPFL chairman Ralph Topping had been openly critical of the BBC's coverage and recently questioned its commitment to football in Scotland, claiming they were "short-changing" the game in this country.
Topping said: "It’s a sad reflection of the BBC’s approach to its investment in Scottish football that Gary Lineker’s salary is double the amount the BBC pays for TV highlights of over 250 SPFL games each year."
However, both parties are happy with the deal and SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “This is fantastic news for Scottish football fans. Everyone at the SPFL is delighted that our long-standing partnership with BBC Scotland has been extended by another four years in this new and significantly improved deal for both parties.
“During the process of negotiating with the BBC, the SPFL Board has been very robust and clear in its view of what we believe Scottish football coverage is worth and we are pleased that this has been taken on board and reflected by an improved agreement.
"As part of that we’re also delighted that supporters will see enhanced match coverage which we’ll provide to the BBC as part of the new contract."
The announcement follows news earlier this season that Sky Sports and BT Sport will continue to broadcast live Ladbrokes Premiership matches until the end of season 2019/20.
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