Let us watch football
There are a number of decent arguments for scrapping the 3pm blackout rule. Many of them paint a pretty convincing picture.
Firstly, allowing the live broadcast of 3pm games would open new revenue channels for both football clubs and media companies.
TV rights could be sold for these games, increasing revenues for both clubs and broadcasters. This additional income would benefit lower-tier clubs in particular, as they rely heavily on ticket sales to generate revenue.
Lifting the blackout would also align with modern consumption trends.
Due to the high cost of monthly streaming services and on-demand sports content, many fans prefer the experience of watching games at home or on devices to get their money’s worth from these subscriptions. Others simply want to hear commentary or watch close-up replays in real-time.
It’s also vital to note that most football fans bypass the Saturday blackout via illegal streams anyway. Since international broadcasters have no rule against showing these matches, fans can tune into those channels using VPNs or illegal streaming websites.
This reality – legal or not – diminishes the argument that the 3pm blackout protects game attendance. Reintroducing official broadcasts across the UK would significantly reduce national piracy, funnelling money back into UK-based businesses and football clubs.
Perhaps the most compelling argument is the one that addresses the cost of match tickets.
Match day ticket prices have been rising steadily since the turn of the 21st century. Anyone who’s hoped to attend a Premier League game recently will tell you that the price of securing a single seat in a stadium has become extortionate.
Even the most devoted football fans have been stuck in their club’s waiting lists for years, hoping to one day be crowned a season ticket holder. For those desperate to attend games before then, ‘knowing a guy who knows a guy’ or purchasing inflated resale tickets will be the only options.
It’s safe to say the vast majority of football fans have been priced out of attending live games in recent years and would be delighted if these matches were televised.
Geographical distance to stadiums, illness or disability, and personal schedules also stand in the way of fans being able to attend matches. Allowing 3pm games to be broadcast would gift fans fair opportunities to watch their teams, improving accessibility for all.
Broadcasting more games live could also stimulate the economy around football by driving demand for sports pubs, restaurants, and social spaces where people gather to watch games. This would increase local spending at venues, benefitting British neighbourhoods and communities.
Finally, allowing more live broadcasts could support a shift towards a communal, social aspect of watching games. This bolster Saturday football’s reputation as a shared experience, similar to other sports around the world.
Arguments against scrapping the blackout
It’s important to consider the reasons why the blackout was introduced in the first place.
For the most part, the law’s original intention – to protect lower league teams – still stands as a reasonable argument in favour of continuing to enforce it.
Lower-league clubs rely heavily on match day revenue. By televising big 3pm matches live, these clubs often face reduced attendances, with local teams in Newcastle reporting a 50 percent dip in attendance when they share a game day with Newcastle United.
Fans might choose to stay home and watch high-profile games rather than attending their local team’s matches or women’s games, especially in smaller towns. The Premier League and top-tier clubs would likely benefit the most from additional broadcast revenues, worsening the financial divide for lower-league clubs.
Some predict that televising 3pm games would ultimately result in lower ticket sales even at big games. While these sales are vital to the financial sustainability of many clubs, I believe the limited supply of tickets and number of overall fans wanting to attend big games in-person would make this unlikely.
Finally, scrapping the rule result in difficulties in coordinating match schedules, especially if more matches are televised across various leagues.
Some make the compelling argument that saturating the market with too many games may result in a complex and disjointed broadcasting schedule. For example, if random networks or streaming platform are granted rights to games, that would mean fans would have to pay for additional memberships, which is not ideal.
Overall, the 65-year football blackout has helped ensure that lower-league matches attract local support and visibility. By broadcasting more Premier League games, we risk marginalising smaller clubs further, weakening the football pyramid’s competitiveness.
That said, protecting tradition while adapting to modern viewing habits and current economic conditions is also important. Lifting the rule could bring greater accessibility for fans, more opportunities to socialise with other supporters, and boost financial benefits to football in an increasingly digital world.
It’s a seriously nuanced debate, and any decision would need to carefully consider both the economic impact and the integrity of football’s community-driven nature in the UK.
There’s no question though: when the British people want to watch their club play, most of the time, they’re going to find a way.
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