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Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer believes the 3pm blackout rule should remain in English football.
Introduced in the 1960s, the regulation prevents live football from being broadcast between 2:45pm and 5:25pm on Saturdays. This was brought in to protect attendances at games which, at the time, were clubs’ main source of income.
However, the advent of Sky Sports transformed the Premier League into an international behemoth watched by millions around the world. The traditional 3pm kick-off time in the top flight has been diluted, with games spanning from Friday until Monday.
UK fans have vented their frustrations at not being able to tune in when their team plays at the conventional kick-off time. As the Premier League battle piracy issues, critics have called the rule outdated and backed reform.
The Covid-19 pandemic saw the FA lift the measure temporarily as games were played behind closed doors - further fuelling the debate. A new four-year broadcasting deal is set to kick in from next season with more games - 70 per cent - shown than ever before.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, former England striker Lineker backed the 3pm blackout to stay. He said: “Obviously, for something like Match of the Day, it wouldn’t be helpful if every game was live. Although, if sort of four or five games were on Saturday, you’d probably only watch one, so you’d still wanna see the highlights on Match of the Day later.
“My only concern with that would be one of the reasons that the Premier League is so successful and such a global triumph is that our grounds are always full and that really does add to the spectacle. I don’t know whether that would diminish if all games were live on television.
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“The Premier League could end up harming itself in the long run in terms of the product that is so good, so brilliant, and so loved by the whole world.”
Toon icon Shearer agreed, questioning whether fans would shun live action when the weather gets tough. He replied: “I agree with that, Gaz. I think you’re totally right with that, in terms of on a miserable wet, cold, windy day, if every game was live on TV, then would a few or a lot of fans just say, ‘Well, we’ll just stay in this afternoon and watch it at home, rather than head to the ground?’
“I think you're right; that is one of the reasons why our league, or the Premier League, is so great is the grounds and everything else. The stadiums are a superb atmosphere, and the vast majority of the time is always full. I think that’s one of the reasons for that.”
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