SPFL opens door to end 3pm blackout — SkimNews
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- SPFL has launched a flexible broadcast tender for the 2029-30 season, inviting offers that could include live coverage of all matches, including the traditional 3pm Saturday fixtures
- Uefa Statutes Article 48 permits the 3pm blackout only if 50% of top-two-division matches in a country kick off simultaneously, a condition other European leagues avoid by staggering start times
- Cymru Premier ended its 3pm blackout in summer 2023, adopting a full-match streaming model to boost revenue for its mix of professional and semi-professional clubs
- Premier League chief executive Richard Masters indicated in August that ending the blackout is likely, though any decision will take 18 months and require EFL and FA consultation
- Sky Sports and Premier Sports currently broadcast 82 of 228 Scottish Premiership games annually, leaving 64% of matches unshown due to the existing blackout restrictions
Why it matters: Lower-division clubs in the UK lose potential streaming revenue under the current blackout, while broadcasters and fans gain if Scotland's move pressures England and Northern Ireland to follow—especially since the 2028-29 rights cycle aligns across all leagues, creating a rare window for coordinated change.
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