Ian Maxwell: 3pm kick off would have diminished Scottish Cup final
The game between Celtic and Inverness will take place at 5:30pm
Scottish Football Association chief executive Ian Maxwell claims keeping the Scottish Cup final at its traditional 3pm kick-off time would have "diminished" the event.
The SFA has come under criticism from finalists Celtic and Inverness plus supporters after switching the start time to 5.30pm on June 3.
Caley Thistle supporters initially faced no prospect of getting a train back to the Highland capital after the game, and a special service will cost £78 for an adult return.
The game will be shown live by Viaplay Sports and the BBC, who are also screening the Manchester derby FA Cup final live from 3pm.
Speaking ahead of the SFA's Week of Football initiative to mark its 150th anniversary, Maxwell said: "The Scottish FA's preference was for three o'clock on a Saturday.
"There are obviously external factors that play a part in any decision about kick-off times and kick-off times have changed. No longer is every game kick-off at three o'clock, there are games played at various times.
"It's the end of our Week of Football, it's very much a flagship competition for us. It signals the end of the Scottish season. We want to give it as much airtime in its own space as possible.
"The English FA Cup final is on at three o'clock, the Women's Champions League final is at three o'clock. So you have a decision to make: do you go up against them and diminish the competition and reduce the viewership that you could get across the UK or do you move it and try and give it its own breathing space? That's what we decided to do.
"We would have preferred it at three o'clock but in terms of the gravitas and the scale we can showcase the game, we felt moving it gave us the best opportunity to do that.
"We engaged with Inverness before the decision was made, they were happier with a later kick-off than an earlier kick-off.
"I am delighted they have recently announced their agreement with Scotrail that will see them put on additional transport to make sure everyone can get back home - and that's been a positive."
Both clubs expressed major disappointment with the decision when it was made and Celtic claimed there had been no "meaningful consultation".
"There was dialogue, there is always dialogue," Maxwell said. "There are multiple stakeholders involved in these decisions and ultimately someone has to make the call and that's down to us as the competition organiser.
"I don't think there's fan consultation in any other change of kick-off time that happens across the sporting environment."
Some have claimed that the SFA has diminished its own competition by moving the kick-off time in recognition of the draw of English football's showpiece game.
Maxwell responded: "There's a reality about it. I don't agree that it's not as big as the FA Cup final because the FA Cup final has moved historically to a half five kick-off.
"I don't think that means that they are saying their competition is not as big as ours because we are three o'clock on a Saturday.
"The reality is that kick-off times change, it's about making sure that anybody who wants to watch the game can watch the game. We would have been scheduled to go up against a Manchester derby.
"I think you would be foolish to ignore it because it's obviously going to have an impact on people watching the game and we want as many people to watch our cup final as possibly can.
"We are on a regular basis compared with what's happening across the border, we live next to one of the biggest footballing nations in the world and we need to deal with that.
"I don't think it diminishes it, I think giving it its own breathing space and its own time to make sure everyone across the UK that wants to watch it can watch it is the right thing to do."
Every club, association, community group and local authority in Scotland is being encouraged to take part in the SFA's Week of Football, which begins with the Women's Scottish Cup final on May 28 between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden.