Scottish football: £70m collective loss down to Covid-19 pandemic

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Only a small handful of test games have taken place in Scottish football this season

By Kheredine Idessane
BBC Scotland

Scottish football is estimated to have suffered a collective loss of £70m due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The figure is projected to rise towards £100m by the end of the season, after the Scottish FA conducted a survey of all levels of the game.

The 42 SPFL clubs, plus those in the Highland and Lowland leagues, as well the SFA itself, were asked to quantify the loss in income due to Covid-19.

Responses will be submitted to the Scottish government and Sportscotland.

Scottish football is seeking either financial assistance or an indication of when supporters might be allowed to return to stadiums.

Rangers, Aberdeen and Celtic have all released their accounts to June 2020 in recent weeks, outlining the scale of losses suffered through the impact of Covid restrictions on matchday income, hospitality, sponsorship and other revenue streams.

Celtic's group revenue fell by £13m, with chairman Ian Bankier saying Covid-19 has had an "adverse impact on our operations and our balance sheet". Aberdeen are projecting a £5m loss if fans do not return while Rangers claim £10m.

The scale of the financial impact of Covid on Scottish football comes as the UK government announced a £300m winter survival package for major sports, although that does not include support for football.

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BBC Sport