The prospect of an Atlantic League has been simmering in the background of Scottish Football for many many years. Former Oldco Rangers supremo, David Murray, was one of the first to suggest that it would be an inevitability – although he maybe should have been looking closer to home.
There has been more talk of it today, with reports in Daily Record claiming Aberdeen CEO Dave Cormack is keen to reignite the possibility of a league involving clubs mainly from Scotland and Scandinavia.
There was chat about it back in November, with Celtic being made aware of the situation along with Hibs, theRangers, Hearts and Aberdeen.
Whether or not it is viable remains to be seen, as it is thought Dermot Desmond would prefer a British league – how this would work long term with the prospect another Independence referendum in 2021 is up for huge debate.
Celtic would be a huge draw for either scenario, and it would certainly shake things up. And after this season when the Ten-in-a-Row thing is put to bed one way or another there is perhaps a chance for the game in Scotland to look at the crucial aspect of the finances – the lack of television revenue due to the restraints of the Scottish Premiership – and look at redressing the imbalance. When teams like Burnley and Fulham earn a hundred times what Celtic do from TV revenue then you know there is a problem.
Yet a British league – or Celtic admitted to the English Premier League – remains a remote possibility to say the least unless the broadcaster forces the matter. Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas so the English sides are unlikely to welcome Scottish teams into their league.
Which brings us back to the Atlantic League and maybe the Aberdeen CEO Dave Cormack is right and this is the way forward. It’s certainly worth exploring.
Brian McVeigh
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