Rangers set for financial jackpot through Australian Old Firm derby
Rangers could be about to receive a massive amount of money, equal to what they would earn from an entire season in the Scottish Premiership, according to the Scottish Express.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side will head down under to Australia for the Sydney Super Cup where they will take on Old Firm rivals Celtic as well as A-League clubs Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers.
Both Scottish Premiership sides will pocket seven-figure sums for their involvement throughout November while the World Cup is being held in Qatar.
Ibrox commercial director James Bisgrove said, as quoted by the Scottish Daily Express: “We’ve been in negotiations for a few weeks for this particular opportunity and to be frank it’s a sizeable benefit to the club from a commercial.
“We’ve never had an offer of this level for two friendly games so it was something the board unanimously looked at as a positive opportunity for Rangers Football Club.
“The club’s stance on television revenue in Scotland has been well documented and the benefit from participating in this tournament will be the same as an entire season of the SPFL Premiership.
Not the same
The Old Firm is the Old Firm wherever you play it in the world.
Every supporter will be desperate to see their team succeed and playing the game outside of Glasgow and even Scotland isn’t going to change that anytime soon.
But it just isn’t the same as a game at either Ibrox or Parkhead, and it never will be.
There is something very unique about the atmosphere at an Old Firm game in Glasgow and taking it away from Scotland is like asking water polo players to try and have a game in the desert.
It is technically possible but the spectacle will be far less intriguing to neutrals and fans alike.
It’s nothing against Australian supporters of either side but it doesn’t seem right if it isn’t in Scotland.
Nonetheless, the money both clubs are making is astronomical for eight days’ work and may well put the even further out of reach for the rest of the Scottish sides and bolster their hopes in Europe too.
In other Rangers news, an official club partner is far from pleased with the latest news coming out of Ibrox.