The Premiership fixture release is always a hotly-anticipated event and this week proved no different.
Our top-flight has just attracted a new sponsorship deal with cinch and chief-executive Neil Doncaster reckons we're set for perhaps the most competitive campaign of the SPFL era.
There are countless plots and subplots looming as the big kick-off approaches on the opening weekend of July 31.
Surely the standout tie is Hearts' returning to the big time with a visit from Celtic to following a season of closed door football.
The Tynecastle fixture is eye-catching enough in itself but a Saturday 8pm kick-off was a surprise one, with the game to be shown live on Sky Sports.
It's a slot which was traditionally used for La Liga down the years and last season played host to a number of Premier League matches.
Doncaster doesn't expect to see that kick-off time too regularly in the Premiership, however, and its availability is down to England's top-flight not commencing for another few weeks.
He said: "I wouldn’t have thought it would become a regular slot.
“It’s because you’ve got the English Premier League starting a few weeks later and that’s what’s available.
“It certainly won’t be the last time it’s used but I don’t see it being a regular one.
“I wouldn’t want to make any predictions about (an Old Firm game at that time).
“That would be down to the broadcaster and the Police.”
The return of around 10,000 supporters to Hampden for Scotland's Euro 2020 opener with the Czech Republic on Monday has given Doncaster cause for optimism ahead of the new campaign.
Save for a few low capacity test events and the relegation play-offs, supporters were locked out of stadia for almost the entire 2020/21 campaign due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
After a "hugely damaging" year, Doncaster is hopeful there will be at least some fans in every ground come the end of next month.
He added: “Monday was an important step.
“To have a crowd allowed at Hampden of over 10,000 people.
“We have Wembley, which is ramping up its attendances over the tournament.
“And then you have an announcement for the finals of Wimbledon’s tennis championships, where you could see a capacity crowd at each of those games.
“All of those are encouraging signs. The SFA are leading discussions with the Government.
“Fans clearly want to return as soon as possible.
“And frankly, from a financial point of view, clubs need it.
“I’m certainly hopeful there will be fans in every ground for the opening weekend.
“Financially, the past year has been hugely damaging for our clubs.
“It’s certainly a huge relief that every club has come through it.
“I think the clubs, the directors, owners and the fans can take huge credit for what they’ve done together to enable their clubs to survive.”
