News > 2010

27 May 2010

MG ALBA TO SPONSOR CHALLENGE CUP 2010

MG ALBA, the Gaelic Media Service, has confirmed today (Thursday 27 May) that it is to continue its sponsorship of the Scottish Football League Challenge Cup for the 2010 competition. The announcement was made as the draw for the first round of the tournament took place at Hampden Park.

The tournament, now in its 20th year, will again be known as the ALBA Challenge Cup and will see live televised coverage of one semi-final and the final on BBC ALBA. BBC ALBA is a partnership between MG ALBA and the BBC.

Alasdair Morrison, Chairman of MG ALBA, said: “We are delighted to enter into agreement once again with the Scottish Football League for another year’s sponsorship of the ALBA Challenge Cup.

“The MG ALBA remit is to serve communities throughout Scotland and to attract viewers from all areas. The ALBA Challenge Cup gives us that opportunity. We look forward to working with the Scottish Football League and to seeing the games broadcast through the medium of Gaelic on BBC ALBA.”

David Longmuir, Chief Executive of the SFL, said: “Everyone in the Scottish Football League is delighted that MG ALBA has decided to extend their partnership with us into season 2009 / 2010 which will see MG ALBA continue as headline Sponsors of the ALBA Challenge Cup. This is so important for what has become a gem of a competition in Scottish Football, giving clubs in the First, Second and Third divisions an opportunity to showcase their talent and play for the first major silverware of the year.

“Last year’s final between Dundee and Inverness Caledonian Thistle is still talked about as one of the best games of the season, and having the whole match live meant that many more than the 8500 who attended the final could see the game on BBC ALBA. We look forward to another thrilling competition in the new season and I wish MG ALBA and BBC ALBA every success as they build their own fan base throughout the communities of Scotland.”

Coverage of the ALBA Challenge Cup will be produced by mneTV as part of a comprehensive package of programming which they provide to BBC ALBA.

The fixtures arising from today’s First Round draw for the ALBA Challenge Cup 2010 can be found at www.scottishfootballleague.com