OFFICIALS from the Scottish Ice Hockey Association are considering
legal action against Scottish Television because they believe that the
station has reneged on a gentlemen's agreement to cover the sport's
Capital Foods Scottish Cup Final in March.
For the first time in seven years, ice hockey's premier Scottish
showpiece tournament, due to take place in Kirkcaldy on March 12 and 13,
will not be screened. Scottish Television has decided that football
takes precedence over the minority sport.
Association president Frank Dempster believes that the station has
left the sport in the lurch, having agreed verbally last year to
broadcast the event. He had personally persuaded the ice hockey
authorities to re-arrange the national league fixtures to suit Scottish
TV's broadcasting schedule.
Ironically, it was Scottish which more than six years ago approached
the SIHA and explained that it was keen to cover ice hockey. After
discussions, the idea of an annual Scottish Cup final was born and the
two-day event was broadcast faithfully each year.
In September last year Mr Dempster was contacted as usual by Scottish
TV's then sports editor, Mr Ron Marshall, and they agreed on a date for
this year's Cup Final. For the first time in many years, four teams
instead of two would be featured. Premier Division clubs Fife Flyers and
Murrayfield Racers would be joined by First Division Paisley Pirates and
Dumfries Vikings.
Mr Dempster, who is also administrator for the British Premier League,
had then to persuade his British Association colleagues to re-arrange
their fixtures to suit Scottish TV's requirements.
Then, at the end of December, Mr Dempster discovered that Mr Marshall
had lost his job with Scottish. He telephoned the station twice to make
sure that the arrangements stood. The first time he was told that
everything was fine and that the outside broadcasting units had been
booked for the event. The second time, however, he spoke to Scottish's
new sports editor, Mr Gerry McNee.
''I was quite shocked when he told me that they would not be covering
the event. I explained all the problems that his decision would make,
coming at such short notice. He said he appreciated all the effort that
had been made but he had a different way of working,'' Mr Dempster said.
A concerned Mr Dempster then wrote formally to Mr McNee. This week he
received a written reply indicating that Scottish TV was not covering
the event.
''We've been left more or less up the creek without a paddle. We are
very upset at the way we have been treated. We are a minority sport and
the television coverage was extremely valuable. If this is typical of
the attitude which Scottish TV is taking to minority sports then it is a
tragedy,'' added Mr Dempster.
He is particularly upset with the fact that, until he approached
Scottish, no-one at Cowcaddens had had the courtesy to inform him of
their decision. ''When would they have told me?'' he asked.
The SIHA, which believes it will lose valuable revenue because of the
cancellation, now feels it has no option but to seek legal advice on the
basis that a verbal agreement is binding under Scottish law.
Mr David Kells, managing director of the main sponsors, the
Edinburgh-based frozen foods retail chain Capital Foods, confirmed
yesterday that his company will con-
tinue to sponsor the event despite Scottish TV's withdrawal. He
believed the broadcasting company had been ''extremely inconsiderate and
unprofessional''.
''I feel terribly sorry for Scottish ice hockey,'' he said. ''If their
policy is going to be to ignore minority sports in future then a lot of
other organisations will be upset.''
Mr Scott Ferguson, head of news, sport, and current affairs at
Scottish, said: ''I am aware of the discussions between Ron Marshall and
the Scottish Ice Hockey Association. However, it is not my intention to
be held to previous non-contractual arrangements. I intend to look at
all of our sports coverage to bring the best service to the viewers in
the Scottish Television area.'' It is understood that the ice hockey
will be replaced by regular football coverage.
The ice hockey cup final is the third minority sports event to be
dropped from Scottish TV's calendar in the past year. Mr Marshall, the
former sports editor, was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Continued on page 5
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