By Graham Barnstaple
July 3 2011

This morning’s papers are reporting that Scottish football on TV has more viewers than in recent years.

The raw numbers state the viewing figures are up 28% year on year and 47% higher than the Setanta years. This would seem to indicate, according to SPL Chief Exec Neil Doncaster, that football is more popular across the world than for a long time.

Even Sporscene’s highlights programme on the BBC is showing an increase in viewing figures.

He is also saying they may not renew the Sky/ESPN deal which is due for re-negotiation in November, in favour of more lucrative deals.

Let’s look at these two statements;

Firstly, the increase from the Setanta days can surely be put down to the greater accessibility of the games on Sky. This meant people were given Scottish football as part of their standard Sky sports subscription, rather than paying an additional subscription to Setanta.

There has also been a lot of playing down of the appeal of the “dark side” of last season, but I think it would be naïve to believe people outside of Scotland didn’t tune in to see what car crash would happen next.

Even the Sportscene improvement isn’t all it seems, the increase could simply be down to the BBC giving in to fans pressure to move the programme to a better Sunday evening slot rather than the graveyard Monday slot.

Secondly, who are the other major players who will offer more than Sky and ESPN? I find it hard to think of them, it won’t be STV or BBC Scotland

Who does this leave?? Eurosport UK? Premier Sports? I wouldn’t think these guys are have the budget to come up with £125m over three years that is the extension on the table from Sky and ESPN.

Which way would you spin, Doncaster’s or mine….