sportskeeda
The Saturday afternoon football TV blackout, in place for over 60 years, may soon be coming to an end.
At present, live broadcasts of 3pm matches in the Premier League and EFL are restricted, with exceptions under specific conditions. Notably, the UK remains the only nation in Europe to uphold this policy.
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Sources from Sun Sport indicate that league officials are increasingly believing this regulation is outdated and should be updated in the next five years.
The new four-year television deal for the Premier League, which will enable up to 270 of the 380 matches to be broadcast live, is set to begin next season and will last until the end of the 2028-29 season.
Sky’s five-year EFL agreement, worth £935 million, which features more than 1,000 matches each season, will also conclude at that time, prompting significant consideration by governing bodies.
While the FA, which has upheld the blackout since its introduction to safeguard match attendances in the 1960s, has previously resisted lifting the rule, the current stance of the leagues may influence a change in their position.
The blackout has fueled the rise of illegal streaming, with many viewers resorting to decoder boxes to watch international broadcasts from the UK.
Recent evaluations from the EFL suggest that, although there has been a rise in Saturday lunchtime broadcasts, matchday attendance has not experienced a significant drop.
Next season, European football involving seven, possibly eight, top-tier teams will move even more matches from Saturdays to Sundays to accommodate televised coverage.
Ruben Amorim showcases a rarely-seen pre-match training tactic preceding the 4-0 triumph over Everton
In a recent unanimous vote, Premier League club executives chose to end their two-decade collaboration with media titan IMG and create an in-house production facility.
This could pave the way for a potential future “Premflix” direct-to-consumer service for fans, with Saturday 3pm matches representing a golden opportunity to generate extra revenue for clubs.
