The Scottish Professional Football League has announced the first set of live 2014/15 televised fixtures on Sky Sports and BT Sport, as well as confirming its broadcasting arrangements for the new Scottish football season.
Fans will be able to watch Championship newcomers Rangers and Heart of Midlothian go head to head at Ibrox on Sunday 10 August, live on Sky Sports, while Premiership champions Celtic’s opener against Scottish Cup holders St Johnstone, on Wednesday 13 August, will also be shown live by Sky Sports.
It has also been confirmed that Sky Sports will televise the Championship’s first Edinburgh derby between Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian on Sunday 17 August as well as Celtic v Dundee United on Saturday 16 August.
BT Sport, meanwhile, will be broadcasting Rangers’ trip to Falkirk on Friday 15 August along with Celtic’s matches at Inverness Caledonian Thistle (Saturday 23 August) and Dundee (Sunday 31 August).
Live matches for broadcast on the BBC’s Gaelic language TV service BBC Alba will be announced next week (commencing July 7).
Neil Doncaster, SPFL chief executive, said: “After a hugely successful first SPFL season, we are all very eager to get the 2014/2015 campaign under way.
We are delighted to continue our relationship with our broadcast partners and the first few weeks of the season include some widely anticipated fixtures.
“There is an increasing level of interest in every level of Scottish football and live TV coverage plays a significant role in making our game more accessible.
There will no doubt be more eyes on the Scottish game this season and, given the quality of broadcast fixtures on offer, it’s easy to see why.”
The SPFL has also clarified the live TV arrangements for the forthcoming season, following the promotion of Rangers to the Scottish Championship and the relegation of Edinburgh clubs Hibernian and Hearts to the same division.
Sky Sports and BT Sport will continue to showcase 70 live SPFL matches between them this season, the majority of which coming from the Scottish Premiership, but alongside that there will be at least 15 Rangers games from the Scottish Championship and all four of the Edinburgh derbies between Hibs and Hearts.
In addition, BBC Alba will be screening a further 16 live matches free-to-air from across the Scottish Championship, Scottish League 1 and Scottish League 2.
Free-to-air highlights of the Scottish Premiership will continue to be shown in Sportscene on BBC One Scotland every Sunday night.
Doncaster added: “We are delighted to have reached agreement with both Sky Sports and BT Sport to include live coverage of all four of this season’s Scottish Championship Edinburgh derbies.
“Combined with BBC Alba’s live coverage of a further 16 matches from across the Championship, League 1 and League 2, viewers will be able to follow the drama every step of the way. All this means more live television exposure for Scottish League football than ever before.”
Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis said: “We’re delighted to kick off our Scottish football season with Rangers’ and Celtic’s opening matches, and the first Edinburgh derby.
“The SPFL is a vital part of our unrivalled football schedule and this season we’ll also bring Scotland’s UEFA EURO 2016 qualifiers and Celtic’s Champions League campaign.
“This is Sky’s 24th year covering Scottish football and we’re really looking forward to bringing our viewers more of the best matches this season.”
Simon Green, head of BT Sport, said: “BT Sport thoroughly enjoyed our first Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) season, bringing fans plenty of storylines culminating in the unforgettable inaugural dramatic Premiership play-off final.
“Next season our team, led by Darrell Currie and Gary McAllister, will bring fans more live action from across the SPFL Premiership and Championship. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners across the Scottish game.”
Alan Esslemont, head of content at BBC Alba, added: “BBC Alba’s coverage of Scottish football is both well known and warmly regarded by audiences throughout Scotland so we are delighted to be able to add 16 live SPFL games to our schedule.
“We are pleased to be able to work with the SPFL to raise the profile of our national game as another exciting season lies ahead.”
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