The Athletic to scrap Rangers coverage because it’s ‘unfair’ on Celtic
The Athletic have confirmed they are going to scrap their coverage of Rangers because they feel “it is unfair to cover only one of the Old Firm clubs”.
The subscription-based news outlet announced on Tuesday (7 March) that dedicated Rangers reporter Jordan Campbell is moving to a new role within the organisation and his coverage of the 2021/22 Europa League finalists will now be reduced for the rest of the season.
The Athletic confirm that Campbell will not be replaced – because they “no longer have a dedicated correspondent covering Celtic”.
Alex Kay-Jelski, The Athletic UK’s editor-in-chief, added: “We understand if you wish to cancel your subscriptions but hope you do stick around to read about the big stories in Scotland, the wider game and other sports.”
Unbelievable
It’s pretty mad, isn’t it?
The Athletic have actually come out and said this.
“Jordan is being offered a new opportunity by us and will therefore be writing a bit less on the club for the rest of the season, before doing his new role full-time next season. We have decided that we will not be replacing him. We no longer have a dedicated correspondent covering Celtic and feel it is unfair to cover only one of the Old Firm clubs.”
Why would it be unfair? You could get one person to cover both clubs – although that would be a risky move knowing the nature of tribalism in Glasgow. But it’s still a better option than ignoring two of the biggest clubs in the UK.
Brentford have their own dedicated reporter and no disrespect to the high-flying Bees but they’re hardly a Rangers or a Celtic now, are they?
The Athletic seem to be axing dedicated coverage of clubs south of the border too.
West Brom, who are a club with a bigger fanbase than Brentford, no longer seem to have a journalist covering them either – although we understand that move a bit more due to the Baggies’ decline in the last few years.
But axing coverage of Rangers and Celtic – and therefore Scottish football as a whole – seems ill-judged and will no doubt cause a mass exodus of subscribers on this side of Hadrian’s Wall.
But, then again, are we missing out that much from a news organisation that calls the Scottish Premiership the “SPL” still?
In other Rangers news, a pundit with insider information at Ibrox has shared one condition that will make Douglas Park leave Ibrox.