SPFL may allow broadcasts of all Saturday 3pm matches — BBC Sport
The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) in the United Kingdom has begun seeking bids for a new cycle of television rights, which will start with the 2029/30 season. According to BBC Sport, broadcasters may be given the opportunity to bid for live coverage of all matches, including games on Saturdays at 3pm.
Flexible tender terms
The SPFL said it is prepared to consider different numbers of matches under the new agreement. The tender was designed with maximum flexibility, provided that the broadcaster does not require the application of Article 48 of the UEFA Statutes.
Article 48 allows leagues to establish time slots during which live television broadcasts of matches are prohibited. It can be applied only when at least half of the matches in the country’s top two divisions are played simultaneously.
Currently, the ban on live broadcasts in the United Kingdom is in force every Saturday from 2:45pm to 5:15pm. The traditional kick-off time for matches in leagues at different levels remains 3pm. The restriction was introduced over concerns that television coverage at this time could reduce attendance not only at the clubs whose matches are shown, but also at lower-division teams.
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Current agreement and club vote
Under the current terms, Sky Sports can broadcast up to 60 Scottish Premiership matches per season, while Premier Sports can show up to 22. A total of 228 games are played in the top division, meaning that 36% of matches are shown live.
The new tender allows broadcasters to submit any proposals regarding the volume of live coverage. The final decision will be made by the 12 Premiership clubs: eight votes are required to approve an agreement. Clubs may also reject a proposal that would provide for matches to be shown on Saturdays at 3pm.
In the summer, the Welsh Cymru Premier lifted a similar restriction and switched to a model of streaming all matches. At the same time, lifting the ban in Scotland would not automatically mean similar changes in English football, for Welsh clubs in the English football pyramid, or in Northern Ireland.
