Scottish football could end Saturday 3pm blackout in major broadcasting shake-up
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The Scottish Professional Football League has signalled openness to ending the Saturday 3pm television blackout in Scotland from 2029, the Press Association understands.
The SPFL has indicated flexibility to potential bidders for its next broadcast cycle, which is due to start with the 2029-30 season, according to PA.
The Saturday 3pm blackout is a UK-wide broadcasting restriction on football fixtures that has been in place since the 1960s. It was originally brought in to protect live attendances.
The rule has survived opposition thanks to Uefa’s Article 48, which contains a clause allowing leagues to impose broadcasting restrictions if 50 per cent or more of professional matches are scheduled for that kick-off time.
Under the SPFL’s approach to the next rights sale, broadcasters have been invited to bid for more games than the current cycle contains, PA understands.
The league is not, however, trying to sell all of its games in the next cycle.
Should the sale result in fewer than 50 per cent of fixtures kicking off at 3pm on a Saturday, Uefa’s Article 48 would not have to be implemented. In that case, the Saturday 3pm blackout in Scotland could be lifted.
Such a move would be a significant moment for live football coverage in the UK.
Other domestic leagues, such as the Premier League and the EFL, could then attempt to implement a similar policy.
The Premier League still has a 3pm blackout on a Saturday, but now shows all games across the rest of the weekend.
Premier League TV slots include 8pm games on Fridays and Mondays, while matches can also be shown at 12.30pm, 5,30pm and 8pm on Saturdays.
Sky Sports now airs all matches starting at 2pm on a Sunday, plus the 4.30pm game, which tends to be reserved for the biggest match of the weekend.
