BIG television broadcasters Sky, TNT, and Amazon are unable to broadcast any football games on a Saturday that kick off between 2.45p.m. and 5.15p.m. The rule has been in place since the 1960s, with the UK being the only country to observe the rule.
One in ten Britons have admitted to watching illegal sports broadcasts. 73% of those watched football illegally. 42% of those surveyed say they do because they cannot afford to watch it legitimately, with a further 40% saying it’s because the event they wanted to watch wasn’t available in the UK.
Recent interviews have unveiled different opinions on the rule. Birtley Town FC have stated that lifting the 3p.m. blackout rule would, “have a further negative impact on our club and allow more supporters to watch NUFC or SAFC in the house”.
They have noticed a huge decrease in the number of people who attend their matches when Newcastle are playing. With their average attendance this season being 262, “We have only played once at home at the same time as NUFC ,and our attendance that day was 121. Our lowest attendance of the season”.
Their solution suggests, “The Premier League should subsidise costs for non-league clubs to access Sky and TNT. It would have a further positive impact if clubs were allowed to show Saturday 3p.m. games in their clubhouse, therefore removing the choice of staying at home to watch an illegal stream or attending a local non-league game”. They also argue this would generate further income for clubs on non-matchdays as they could show other games.
The 3p.m. blackout was first introduced because televising top-tier matches was affecting lower-league clubs’ attendance.
Newcastle Blue Star FC argue that they notice a considerable drop in supporters when Newcastle United have a 3p.m. kick-off, as many hold a season ticket at St James Park.
However, their position is that they would like the blackout rule to be removed. The club has stated, “It could be a positive from a revenue point of view, as the ability to stream our own matches would be open”.
But they have acknowledged, “There is the obvious problem of Newcastle United always being available to watch… Because of firesticks being in use, you could argue that Newcastle are always going to be on some form of screen”.
Newcastle Blue Star FC have found a solution. “If a game is at 12.30 or 5.30, we try and make our home game an event in itself and put the Newcastle game on our big screen in the clubhouse ; if we do this, the attendance does not take as much of a dip”.
“We certainly provide a great atmosphere and facilities for those who come to Scotswood, and this helps us generate solid numbers even when Eddie Howe’s men are playing at home.”.
The ongoing debate over the 3p.m. blackout is still being discussed. Both teams have stated that top-tier clubs playing in their area do affect attendance. However, both have offered differing solutions to overcome these problems.