Federation proposes new broadcasting scheme

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The Football Federation (TFF) has put forward a new broadcast-revenue sharing scheme after 14 medium and small-sized clubs threatened to boycott the First Division championship last month. The 14 so-called Anatolian clubs have been splitting 50% of revenues from match broadcasts, while the big four teams (Fenerbahce, Galatasaray and Besiktas and Black Sea side Trabzonspor) have shared the remaining 50%.

"This system is no longer a remedy for football today as competition decreases, the league's quality is down and clubs' budgets shrink," TFF chief Levent Bicakci said. "To change that and to raise our clubs to international standards, we have prepared a new pooling system," he said.

The plan now is for revenues to be distributed mainly by performance, with 44% parcelled out based on weekly points beginning with the 2005/06 season and another 7% shared among the top six teams. Of the remaining 49%, 35 would be distributed evenly among all of the clubs, while 14 would go to Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, Besiktas and Trabzonspor, who have the largest fan bases and are the only four clubs to have won the championship. The TFF's proposal is in line with what the Anatolian clubs have sought and is expected to defuse the row.

However, Fenerbahce officials already said the TFF proposed scheme is unacceptable.  "There is a significant decrease in our share from last year. It is impossible for us to accept this new pool system," Fenerbahce deputy chairman Nihat Ozdemir told media.