• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Premier League blackout rule broken on first weekend of new season

Home> Football> Premier League

Published 16:59 12 Aug 2023 GMT+1

Premier League blackout rule broken on first weekend of new season

In a rare turn of events, the 3pm Premier League blackout rule was broken on Saturday.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

The Premier League blackout rule was broken on the first weekend of the season in a rare instance.

In the United Kingdom, a long-standing regulation has been in place since 1987, stipulating that football cannot be screened live on TV or online between 2.45pm and 5.15pm.

On broadcasters like Sky Sports and TNS Sports, only early and late kick-offs able to be televised. The primary purpose of this is to stop fans watching from their sofas and not attending games.

But on Saturday, the rule was abolished in Arsenal's 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners kicked off the season with a victory courtesy of first-half strikes from Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka before Taiwo Awoniyi pulled one back for the visitors late on.

Advert

But the game actually kicked off at 1pm as opposed to the scheduled 12:30pm slot following a delay caused by issues with Arsenal's new electronic ticket system.

Image: Getty
Image: Getty

It left thousands of fans stranded outside and kick-off was pushed back as a result.

The game was shown live on the newly branded TNT Sports and with the half-time break and the increase in added time in both halves, the game was still going on during the blackout slot and coverage was not interrupting.

Advert

The blackout rule was briefly scrapped during the period where games went ahead behind-closed-doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

And an exception was made last season when Manchester City hosted Leeds in a 3pm kick-off on Sky Sports due to King Charles' coronation.

Image: Getty
Image: Getty

However, there are no plans to lift the ban, according to Premier League chief Richard Masters.

Advert

Asked by The Athletic, he said: "We aren’t planning to change that. We are still supportive of it for those historic reasons to protect the window where most professional football is played, in order to protect participation and attendance. We think it still plays a role.

“I know people are frustrated they can’t watch every game. We have progressively put more matches into our live packages and are at 200 now and we are considering the volume of matches for the auction, which is slated for quarter four of this year.”

Featured Image Credit: Getty & Premier League

Topics: Premier League, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest

Josh Lawless
Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and WWE. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has covered two WrestleMania events for SPORTbible.

X

@joshlawless_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

5 hours ago
8 hours ago
9 hours ago
10 hours ago
  • 5 hours ago

    FIFA has banned five football kits for life that you'll never see again

    Club World Cup finalists Chelsea and PSG have been hit by FIFA’s ban on sleeve advertising rule

    Football
  • 8 hours ago

    Xabi Alonso has found the next Florian Wirtz for Real Madrid without spending anything

    The new Real Madrid boss may have uncovered a gem in the squad who could be the next Florian Wirtz.

    Football
  • 9 hours ago

    Chelsea set their asking price for Nicolas Jackson as shock club register interest and it looks like a typo

    Enzo Maresca has named his price to sell Nicolas Jackson this summer, amid links to a European giant.

    Football
  • 10 hours ago

    Rodrygo has already told Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea which club he wants to play for next season

    The Brazilian star has been linked with a move away from Real Madrid this summer.

    Football
  • Blackout on Saturday 3 pm kick offs could soon be over in the Football League
  • Arsenal played Nottingham Forest in wrong kit, error could take months to resolve
  • Premier League to overrule 3pm Saturday blackout for Sky Sports fixture
  • Bukayo Saka scores a worldie and Gabriel Martinelli destroys two defenders, Arsenal are back