Cinch ends sponsorship of SPFL two years early after dispute with Rangers

The Scottish Professional Football League has announced that Cinch is ending its sponsorship two years early.

SPFL said the car dealership was exercising its right to conclude its title sponsorship deal at the end of the current 2023/24 season.

The league signed a five-year contract in 2021, but included a clause giving Cinch the option to exit after three years.

The deal played its part in helping the SPFL deliver record-breaking revenues back to its 42 clubs in the last 12 months.

However, it also proved controversial, with the league forced to apologised to Rangers and one of the Ibrox club’s main partners following a dispute over the sponsorship.

“Cinch has been an excellent sponsor for the SPFL and has been clear on the significant boost to its brand awareness from our partnership,” the league’s chief executive Neil Doncaster said.

“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.”

Rangers objected to the sponsor’s logo being displayed within their stadium or on their strips as they claimed it conflicted with a commercial agreement they already had in place with chairman Douglas Park’s firm, Park’s of Hamilton.

The car retailer began a five-year agreement with the SPFL to sponsor every division from the top flight to the fourth tier in 2021, but a revised version of that deal, which excluded Rangers’ commercial requirements, was signed a year later.

However Rangers and Park – who served as club chairman until April this year – argued that constituted an admission the league was wrong to oppose their position and won the right to take the SPFL to court to pursue damages and an apology.

It means the league is now on the lookout for its third title sponsor since coming into existence in 2013.

Bookmaker Ladbrokes had their name attached to the competition for five years between 2015 and 2020 prior to cinch taking over.