The muppets in charge of the Premier League have reportedly been given a chance to break the 3pm blackout rule, but they bottled it like a bunch of bellends!
This would have meant all matches on two days during the festive period could be broadcast live for us footy fans to watch – but those clueless twats in charge said no. What a load of bollocks!
Premier League turns down chance to break long-standing rule
The Premier League games in question fall on December 27 and January 3, set to host the 18th and 20th gameweek of the season. This would have seen the traditional blackout rule temporarily overturned and fixtures scheduled for 3pm on those Saturdays available for live broadcast.
However, those numpties at the top flight are not planning to use this unprecedented ability to provide live 3pm coverage. The Premier League recently pledged its commitment to observing the blackout, with CEO Richard Masters claiming it's here to stay for the time being. What a mug!
The decision not to take up the option to broadcast the 3pm games is likely also influenced by their existing broadcast deals with Sky Sports and TNT Sports. Sky's deal includes 215 of the 380 games being shown on Friday night, Saturdays at 5.30pm and 8pm, as well as Sunday 2pm and 4.30pm. They also have the rights for Monday Night Football plus three midweek rounds and the final day of the season. Meanwhile, TNT shows the Saturday 12:30pm game, in addition to two midweek rounds.
This current rights deal will remain in place until 2029, but there's no guarantee the blackout will continue beyond this. It's a bloody disgrace, mate!
What is the 3pm blackout?
The 3pm blackout ruling was first devised in the 1960s and has been enforced in the UK since the mid-1980s. It's mainly in place to ensure crowds at lower league games don't suffer if Saturday 3pm games are shown live on TV. At the top of the English football pyramid, the Premier League has a responsibility to protect attendances in leagues below them.
However, more recently the blackout has been blamed for playing a part in the increase in fans using dodgy streams to watch games, as well as pricey TV subscriptions. It's a load of crap if you ask me!
What's happening in the Premier League on Boxing Day?
The recent news about the 3pm blackout in the festive period comes just days after it was revealed that the Premier League is set to have just one fixture scheduled on Boxing Day. A number of Premier League matches are traditionally played on December 26, a day after Christmas. EFL fixtures across the Championship, League One and League Two follow suit in what is the busiest time in the football schedule.
However, that looks set to change soon, as there will be just one single top flight match on Boxing Day in 2025. December 26 falls on a Friday this year, raising uncertainty over how many games will be played then. When the league released the 2025/26 fixtures in June, it placed the 18th round of matches on Saturday, December 27 instead.
This is likely due to several other factors, with the Premier League contractually obliged to provide 33 weekends of football to broadcasters. The expansion of UEFA competitions and moving FA Cup matches to weekends only also appears to have affected the scheduling. It remains to be confirmed whether the Premier League will proceed with their current plans, having been due to announce TV broadcast dates for the entirety of December and January on October 15, before only confirming fixtures up to December 22. What a shambles, mate! The beautiful game is going down the drain because of these idiots in charge.
