Major Scottish football change impacting Hearts, Hibs and rivals

UK based car company cinch has confirmed that they will  end their association with the Scottish Premiership after three years - putting an end to a sponsorship deal which was once described as the ‘largest ever’ back in 2021. cinch are walking away from their position as sponsors of the SPFL just three years into a five-year-deal.

The car company has been the main sponsor of the SPFL and its four divisions and they signed a deal which was worth around £1.6m a season which was shared among the 42 member clubs. However, the agreement ultimately proved controversial and the company has been involved in a long-running dispute with Rangers football club.

Rangers refused to display the cinch branding around their stadium or conduct media interviews in front of the cinch logo.  The Glasgow side claimed that they couldn’t honour the league’s agreement due to a pre-existing contact with former chairman Douglas Park’s own used car firm, Park’s of Hamilton.

The matter went to court and the deal was revised last year to preclude Rangers from any obligation to display cinch advertising. The SPFL apologised for the matter this summer for any damages done to the reputation of both Rangers and Park’s car company. However, less than three months later the deal between the SPFL and cinch is coming to an end entirely.

SPFL chief Neil Doncaster confirmed the news. He said: “Cinch has been an excellent sponsor for the SPFL and has been clear on the significant boost to its brand awareness of our partnership. We will of course, ensure that Cinch continues to enjoy the many benefits of its sponsorship of the Cinch SPFL for the rest of what promises to be a hugely exciting league campaign.

“The passion, drama and excitement of the SPFL has played a leading role in driving cinch’s considerable brand growth in Scotland and across the rest of the UK. Working closely with Scottish Football Marketing, we will now begin the process of securing a new title sponsor for next season and beyond, and anticipate strong interest from businesses which recognise the unique value of partnering with Scotland’s premier football competition.”

Robert Bridge of Cinch added: “Over the past three years, Cinch has become the UK’s leading online used car business and built a household brand with awareness of over 85%. Its successful partnership with the SPFL has been an important contributor to this achievement. As Cinch looks to the future, its marketing focus is evolving to ensure continued success and growth.”