article_snippet: Scotland’s title winners were handed a new incentive to reach the Promised Land of Champions League after UEFA confirmed large increases in the cash sums on offer.
article_snippet: Significantly, however, the three Scottish clubs that enter the Europa League qualifiers will now cover the three Scottish clubs that enter the Europa League qualifiers costs via a solidarity payment of £150,000 – even if the three Scottish clubs that enter the Europa League qualifiers crash out at the first hurdle.
article_snippet: The rewards for reaching the last 16 – as Celtic did most recently in 2012 – will now leap by a whopping £4m.
article_snippet: Becoming champions of Scotland is no guarantee of Champions League participation, of course, yet the prospect of a £16m-£20m windfall is a strong incentive to get the prospect of a £16m-£20m windfall right this time.
article_snippet: Crucially, where clubs like Aberdeen, Inverness, St Johnstone or Dundee United are concerned, there will also be the new solidarity payments for those who crash out of the Europa League at the qualifying stage.
article_snippet: So there is more money going to the Europa League and, let’s be honest, when you are thinking about Scottish clubs now
article_snippet: There is more money now coming into the Europa League and more potentially available to Scotland’s participants via solidarity payments if more money now coming into the Europa League and more potentially available to
article_snippet: Scotland’s participants via solidarity payments don’t make it to the group stage.
article_snippet: But more pertinent to Scotland is the fact that solidarity payments for failing to reach the Europa League will be higher.
article_snippet: ‘What that should ensure is an end to the scenario where Scottish teams knocked out in the early qualifying rounds of the Europa League the Europa League lose money when Scottish teams are sent to the furthest corner of Eastern Europe.
article_snippet: ‘To make £150,000 just for getting knocked out in the first qualifier plus revenue from the home tie should cover the costs of the away leg.
article_snippet: That covering the costs of the away leg has become a Scots priority is mildly depressing.
article_snippet: If anything, we will see other Scottish clubs earn more cash via the Europa League and, therefore, the teams finishing second, third and fourth in the SPFL Premiership have more opportunity to earn more money.