Late Hibernian chairman Ron Gordon has been hailed as the 'driving force' behind a move for Scottish football bodies joining forces to 'revolutionise the marketing and promotion' of the game.
The Scottish FA, Scottish Professional Football League, and Scottish Women’s Premier League have launched Scottish Football Marketing (SFM), which will be "a centralised commercial hub to revolutionise the promotion and marketing of the national game in Scotland."
Scottish football has come in for criticism in recent years for failing to maximise the full potential of our national game, both at home and abroad, but it is hoped this new venture will change that.
A strategic review led by Gordon - who passed away last month at the age of 68 - and also included Aberdeen, Hearts, Rangers and Celtic, determined the need for a SFM division, and a Hampden Park-based group of 'talented and ambitious commercial professionals' are now being sought to work on improving Scottish football as a brand.
The hope is this can lead to increased revenues through more engaging storytelling, as well as greater sponsorship and licensing opportunities.
Neil Doncaster, SPFL Chief Executive, said: “During the pandemic, the whole of Scottish football worked in unison and the daily meetings of the Joint Response Group were vital in ensuring that clubs emerged intact from the huge challenges posed by Covid.
“That model, bringing together the considerable resources, skills, and energy of the entire sport, showed how much more we can achieve when we all pull together.
“The SPFL recently announced record turnover and record fees returned to our 42 clubs. The creation of Scottish Football Marketing gives the game a major strategic advantage in developing new and attractive commercial propositions which will, in turn, further increase revenues for the benefit of fans and clubs alike.
“Ron Gordon was a driving force of the Scottish Football Marketing project and we hope its creation will be a legacy of his all-too-short time in Scottish football.”
Ian Maxwell, Scottish FA Chief Executive, said: “Scottish football offers a compelling and unpredictable narrative on the field. We believe it is time to work smarter off the field, in an increasingly competitive marketplace, to reinforce the magic of our national game.
“We have seen similar models work well in football and across sport and entertainment and want to make sure Scottish football is as attractive as possible to fans of all ages, with an offering that will be attractive to new sponsors and partners.”
Fiona McIntyre, the SWPL’s Managing Director, said: “The SWPL has come a long way in a very short space of time, and underpinning this early progress has been a culture of collaboration across SWPL clubs, the SPFL, and the Scottish FA.
“In our first season of existence, we have already created record-breaking partnerships with Sky Sports, BBC Scotland, BBC ALBA and Mitre.
"Scottish Football Marketing is an innovative and exciting development for Scottish football and our involvement will further strengthen elite women’s football in Scotland – and accelerate the growth of the women’s game in this country.”
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