SCOTTISH football faces a BBC digital blackout in an attempt to avert a potential legal dispute with Setanta, the pay-per-view broadcaster.
Up to one million viewers watching BBC Scotland will lose the high quality digital satellite coverage of the SPL next season after Setanta complained it was a breach of its rights to beam Scottish games live to the UK and Ireland.
The Irish-based digital broadcaster's on-off negotiations with the SPL ended in October with an agreement to pay (pounds) 2.8m for the privilege of beaming BBC Scotland's 38 live games per season plus 18 exclusive live matches to the UK.
But a move by the BBC to cut financial ties with Sky a fortnight ago, would have allowed all BBC broadcasts, including BBC Scotland, to be seen across the country without a viewing card from next season.
Now the BBC has revealed its technical staff is working to block BBC Scotland's live football broadcasts to the digital network next season to prevent a breach of the Setanta deal.
Viewers would only be able to pick up BBC Scotland's live football coverage through an aerial ensuring that only home Scots will pick up broadcasts.
But it would make it impossible to continue with any interactive coverage of games.
The BBC has been anxious to resolve the problems, aware that some of the 12 SPL clubs want to re-negotiate the BBC deal or look for another one claiming that the income
barely compensates for a decline in gate receipts.
BBC Scotland bought the live rights for (pounds) 16m after protracted negotiations two days before the season began after the concept of a pay-per-view SPL channel was vetoed by the Old Firm. The deal involved broadcasting to Scotland only and was allied to a Setanta deal for pay-per-view option.
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