Are We Ready for A 16-Team SPL?
May 5, 2008
There have been many proposals put forward by Scottish football fans as to how to help Scottish football attract larger crowds. Each proposal put forward aims to make leagues more competitive and exciting. One of the most frequent ideas put forward is a 16-team SPL.
There are only a few national leagues across Europe which currently have 16-teams in their top league including Portugal, Russia, Greece, Sweden and the Czech Republic. Most Football Associations prefer to have 18 or 20 teams in their top league.
With a sixteen team league structure, it would mean that teams would only play 30 games per season. This situation may mean the SPL would not have the current problem of extending the season and a winter break could also be incorporated into the season so there wouldn’t be situations like the debacle at Fir Park and its pitch. Domestic cup competitions should also be given more importance, as they could be played at weekends rather than midweek nights to give them a higher profile.
On the footballing side of things, an added freshness would also be introduced and most argue that the league would be more competitive. Most claim the league would be less boring, as teams will only have to play each other twice. Pitches should be in better condition promoting a more exciting brand of football due to less games played.
However, it is the chairmen of the SPL who vote on changes and proposals, so the best interests for their respective clubs are key to every decision made. Decisions taken are usually income based so on this basis most chairmen would be against a 16-team SPL due to less matches and TV revenue shared around more clubs.
There have been suggestions on fans messageboards that the split could still be in operation in a 16-team SPL. It is their view that it would provide the league with a similar amount of games as is currently in operation. It is also seen as a way of avoiding meaningless games in the middle of the table. The split, however, could pose problems, with an uneven amount of home and away ties for all 16 teams (i.e. 37 games). It has also been widely condemned due to the simple fact that at the end of the season 7th place in the current SPL can have more points than the team finishing in 6th.
The debate will rage on for years until something is changed. SFA Chief Executive Gordon Smith has not yet made any moves to restructure the league but stated his own preference of two 12 team leagues which split into three 8 team leagues at the halfway point. Theories will continue to come from fans, pundits and officials alike, but one thing is certain – the appetite for change is across the board.
Lion Rampant Sports 
Get the 16 team league on the go, and bring back the winter break. While we’re at it, I’d incorporate a group phase into the CIS Cup to give it more excitement.
Some oldies would argue that we had an 18 team league in the past and it didn’t work, but surely 16 teams would be better for us. Ditch the split as it rarely does anything useful (our relegation battle last year apart) and have 2 up and 2 down. 16 teams would allow more freedom in teams’ play and many would be more keen to play young players in the league, benefiting Scottish football in the long run.
There’s scope for change I’d say, and a change in league structure would just be the start for me.
The entire system needs restructured. There is currently one league of 12 and three of 10- thats 42 teams and East Stirlingshire consistently finish ’42nd’; this season being the exception! I was pleased that this seasons Scottish Cup included the ‘junior’ winners, who in my opinion more than proved that they should have better representation in the league structure.
Gordon Smith’s proposal is similar to the workings of one of the European leagues -the swiss, i think- where they split and the top half of what is our first division form a new league (from zero points again) with the bottom half of the premier to determine promotion and the top premier clubs continue on from their points total to determine european slots.
This is a bit extreme but it is time we tried something different. I would say the way forward is two national leagues of sixteen teams with a number of local/ regional leagues (i.e. west, east, north) where the winner of each would be promoted to the second national league, and the three bottom clubs of nat league 2 relegated into their respective regional leagues. There would be promotion between nat league 1 and nat league 2: probably two up two down and one play-off.
oh- and by God we need the winter break back!
The only problem with this is the current restriction on acceptable stadia. Far too often has a team finished top of the first division and not allowed into the SPL.
I’m bang up for a 16 team league. More teams for Hearts can embarrass themselves against more diddy teams.
it has to be spartans. they have earned the right to play in the sfl and they are from the burgh.
I think most would be in favour of junior teams joining and creating a pyramid system, but the problem there is that many junior teams are happy staying where they are.
Some of the bigger ones, such as Linlithgow who are primed to step up, may say “actually, we’re happier staying as a big fish in the small pond”. That way, the continue to be successful, whereas if they become senior then chances are they won’t get as much success, and their large fanbase may drift away.
I also agree about the winter break. And I’d bring back the terracing!