Last Saturday, Arsenal's Reiss Nelson scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner against Bournemouth, a moment that could define the Premier League title race. However, most UK-based Arsenal fans could not watch it live legally due to the 3pm blackout rule, which prohibits live broadcasts of football matches between 2:45pm and 5:15pm on Saturdays.
The rule, introduced in the 1960s under UEFA Article 48, was designed to protect matchday attendances. But a Twitter poll of 1,226 fans found 80.8% want it scrapped. Sheffield Wednesday fan Mark called it 'a bit outdated', while Chelsea supporter Steve said televising 3pm kick-offs would not affect attendance nowadays.
Arsenal's home games are sell-outs, leaving many fans with no legal way to watch. Luke, an Arsenal fan, admitted to streaming illegally 'because it's literally not on TV'. This costs clubs potential streaming revenue. During the 2020/21 pandemic season, when the blackout was lifted, the EFL's iFollow service generated over £42 million, compared to £13 million in 2018/19 with the blackout in place.
Fans also question fairness, as UK TV packages cost up to £73.97 monthly for Sky Sports, BT Sport and Amazon Prime. In contrast, Australian viewers pay £13.88 per month on Optus with no Saturday blackout, and German fans pay £24.85 on Sky. Newcastle fan Linzi said: 'Premier League football can be accessed in most countries, except in the UK. All games should be available to view.'
