Summer football in Scotland

Date: 10th June 2015

According to the BBC, twenty seven of the fourty two SPFL clubs have said that they would be in favour of considering a move to a summer calendar for Scottish football. In the survey commissioned by the BBC, only seven clubs of those who responded stated that such a move does not interest them.

The issue of summer football has been long debated within Scotland, with strong arguments both for and against. Many see it as an answer to the sub par interest in Scottish football with regards to television ratings and match day attendances. By not having other major leagues to compete against and no Champions League or Europa League, the SPFL would be able to carve out a greater market share at a time when the English and Spanish leagues are enjoying their off season breaks.

Many of the opponents to the move insist that such a change would actually see attendances potentially suffer, with supporters having other priorities during the summer months. Many clubs now also play on synthetic surfaces, which guards against the possibility of matches being postponed due to adverse weather.

As part of last season’s National Fans’ Survey, Supporters Direct Scotland asked fans about the prospect of summer football. Over 60% of respondents believed that a change to a summer programme – running from March to November – would be beneficial to Scottish football, with just under 30% against it.

Let us know what you think of summer football in Scotland. You can tweet us at @ScottishFans or get in touch via our Facebook page

Posted in: Latest News