SPFL poised to double their TV money after BBC finally agree to cough up £2.8million

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The SPFL are poised to double their money under the terms of a new four-year broadcasting deal with BBC Scotland.

Months of negotiations and threats by SPFL figures to pull the plug on Sportscene highlights and live radio coverage will end with the state broadcaster increasing payments to clubs from £1.4million a year to £2.8m.

Sportsmail understands the SPFL plan to confirm the agreement in the coming days.

Rangers are back in the Scottish Premier League and will benefit from the new broadcasting deal

They will reunite league rivalries with Celtic who are closing in on a fifth successive Scottish Premiership title

Chairman Ralph Topping initially demanded a figure ‘north of £3m’ for Scottish highlights after accusing the corporation of ‘short-changing’ the national game.

While the new figure falls just short of that target, SPFL sources believe the agreement vindicates their stance with the corporation.

The BBC pays £68m each year for Match of the Day highlights while presenter Gary Lineker receives more cash via his salary than Scottish clubs receive for coverage of an entire season.

SPFL chairman Ralph Topping accused BBC Scotland of ‘short-changing’ the national game

The BBC argued they had an obligation to pay the market rate in order to obtain the best possible value for licence payers.

However, Alloa chairman Mike Mulraney - a member of the SPFL board - was a vocal critic of the current deal, warning that clubs would opt for a black-out unless a better package was put on the table.

In a recent interview, Topping also vowed to play hardball, saying: ‘The view among the clubs would be that if there isn’t a significant move north in price, they would be prepared to pull the plug on the TV and radio stuff.

‘What the BBC do is good – there is no criticism at all of the guys at the sharp end of the BBC – but the feeling is that they need to offer a value acceptable to the clubs to get an agreement.’