Pundit left fuming amid Rangers v Aberdeen Viaplay Cup final development
Joe Harper has been left fuming at the SPFL for their refusal to grant Rangers and Aberdeen a 50-50 split for tickets for the Viaplay Cup final.
The Dons were handed 19,000 tickets for the game while the Light Blues were given 25,000 passes for their fans.
This has led to Harper’s call for all clubs apart from the two Old Firm ones to unite and go to the SPFL.
Harper told Press and Journal: “The refusal of the SPFL to grant Aberdeen’s request to be issued with a 50-50 split of tickets for the Viaplay Cup final is a disgrace. Instead, the SPFL confirmed the Dons would receive just 19,500 tickets, with Rangers getting 25,000, for the final at Hampden on December 17.
“All other clubs outside Rangers and Celtic should join together to stop this practice of an unbalanced ticket allocation. There should be strength in numbers to push for change, because to giving one team more tickets for a final is completely unacceptable.
“Especially when that team, Aberdeen, have requested a 50-50 split and sold 43,000 tickets for the 2014 League Cup final. Aberdeen requested time to sell a 50% split of the tickets for next month’s final. And if they didn’t achieve that then the remaining tickets would go to Rangers – with plenty of time to sell them on.
“They shouldn’t even have to ask for a 50-50 split – it should be an automatic given. This ticket fiasco is embarrassing for Scottish football.
“The SPFL appear to think they are a law unto themselves and can do what they want. Other clubs should join together to show them they can’t.”
Spot on
Cup finals are often the pinnacle of a team’s journey, representing the culmination of efforts throughout the competition.
An equal distribution of ticket revenue ensures that both participating clubs benefit equitably, acknowledging their collective contributions to the event’s spectacle.
Financial parity becomes crucial for clubs of varying sizes and financial capacities, allowing smaller or less affluent teams to access a more significant share of the revenue, fostering a more level playing field in the broader context of football economics.
The 50-50 split promotes competitiveness, enabling clubs to reinvest their earnings back into player development, facilities, and community initiatives and that’s the spirit of football and what makes it the greatest game in the world.
While Rangers undoubtedly have the larger fanbase, it’s not like Aberdeen will not be able to fill their section as it’s a bigger deal for their supporters.
In other Rangers news, a player is now in a ‘Worse’ situation than before as surgery is unavoidable, according to exclusive coverage by an injury expert.