the NEW Scottish League Cup format for 2016-17

The Scottish Professional Football League announced plans to change the format of the Scottish League in quite dramatic fashion, not only have they changed the format, they've also managed to secure a new TV deal for the Competition, are well along in talks with a long term sponsor for it and have made a dramatic change to what many will see as a fundamental rule in Football.

● New Format: Instead of the straight one off Cup game the SPFL have reverted back to League Cup Sections which will be loosely regionalised, the reason for the "loosely" is because the League Cup is a seeded Competition which is dictated by your previous Season's League positioning.

- 8 Groups of 5 compete in a round robin tournament playing four games in total, 2 Home 2 Away
- 8 Group winners and the 4 best runners up will progress to the last 16
- the top 4 sides from the Previous Season have a buy to the last 16 as they'll be competing in European Competiton during the group stages

● New TV Deal: The existing TV Deal for the League Cup is held by thr BBC and is only worth around £780,000 per year, the New Deal which will begin at the start of next Season is with BT Sports who signed an £8m deal four year contract with the SPFL for 13 games...
6 Group Games
2 Round of 16 Games
2 Quarter Finals Games
2 Semi Final's
The Final

● Rule changes: In what many believe to be a really intriguing and innovative move, there will be a new "Bonus Point" opportunity added go every group game that ends in a draw, while a draw will still earn a club a point any hame that ends even will also head straight to a Penalty Shoot out where the winner will then an extra Point, in a 4 game group those little changes could be of huge significance

● Summer Football/Winter Break: The introduction of this new Format has also seen the opportunity to replace Pre Season friendlies with competitive football, these group games will actually begin and be concluded within the month of July, this also allows for clubs to use traditional Cup weekends in the early part of the Season for League fixtures which has allowed the SPFL yo fit in two free weekends in January into their schedule which can would enable Top Flight clubs to take a 3 week Winter Break.