Scottish football leads way in bid to end 3pm blackout as TV rights landscape alters

The Scottish Professional Football League is prepared to offer broadcasters the opportunity to screen Scottish Premiership matches kicking off at 3pm under its next television rights agreement, amid growing expectations that the long-standing Saturday afternoon blackout could be scrapped from 2029.

League officials are understood to be willing to allow bidders to pursue packages covering the entire top-flight, including matches played at the traditional 3pm Saturday kick-off, when the current restrictions are no longer expected to apply.

The next four-year broadcasting cycle will run from the 2029-30 season through to 2032-33, with the SPFL having already signalled a more flexible approach as it invites companies to submit tenders.

SPFL Chief Executive Officer Neil Doncaster | SNS Group

One possible outcome would see a single broadcaster acquire the rights to every Premiership match, provided the league receives an offer it considers financially acceptable.

The potential change reflects growing expectations within football and broadcasting circles that the Scottish Football Association, FA and Irish FA could stop enforcing the restrictions on live coverage during Saturday afternoon hours from the start of the new agreement.

A source familiar with the process told the Scottish Sun the invitation to tender allows prospective bidders to consider a deal without the existing restrictions.

The prospect would represent a major development for Scottish football, where supporters have long been unable to watch many of the league's most important games live due to the blackout.

Under the current restrictions rooted in UEFA's Article 48, broadcasters are generally prohibited from screening domestic football between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturdays. Limited exceptions apply, including certain international fixtures, FA Cup weekends and the festive period. The intention is to protect attendances at matches outside the televised elite by encouraging supporters to watch games in person.

Any move to remove the blackout would therefore require the relevant national associations to change their approach. The SPFL can shape its own rights packages, but it cannot independently guarantee that the restrictions will disappear across the UK and Ireland.

The implications would extend well beyond Scotland. The English Premier League and EFL could also benefit from the removal of the blackout, potentially opening the door to live coverage of major domestic fixtures during one of the most popular periods for football.

English football already enjoys considerably greater television exposure than the Scottish Premiership. Broadcasters can currently show up to 270 Premier League matches per season, representing approximately 70 per cent of the competition's fixtures.

By contrast, Sky Sports and Premier Sports can combine to screen 82 Premiership matches each campaign, accounting for around 35 per cent of the total.

That disparity has become increasingly apparent during tight title races, when fans have been unable to watch matches live. Last season's dramatic battle for the Scottish Premiership crown provided a notable example, with significant fixtures falling outside the existing broadcast allocation.

A more expansive rights package could give supporters greater access to their clubs while creating a potentially valuable commercial opportunity for the SPFL. It could also alter the balance between traditional Saturday afternoon attendances and the convenience of watching matches from home.

Much will depend on the financial offers received during the tender process and whether broadcasters believe the additional inventory would justify the investment. The prospect of one provider securing every Premiership fixture would represent a substantial departure from the current model, although the SPFL’s willingness to consider such an arrangement does not guarantee it will materialise.