Stoke City could see the long-standing Saturday 3pm blackout scrapped for the first time in more than 60 years once the next domestic broadcasting deals for the Premier League and EFL expire.
Games are currently prohibited from being shown on Saturday afternoons to help preserve attendance across the football pyramid and maintain steady participation at the grassroots level.
However, according to The Times, senior figures have suggested that the current blackout, which has been in place since 1960, is unlikely to last beyond the 2028/29 season and is regarded as out of date.
The UK remains the only country in Europe with a 3pm broadcast restriction, but that could change in the next deal struck with the top flight and the EFL. Many Premier League games are not shown at their traditional 3pm slot and now shown at different times for live television coverage.
From next season every top flight game that is not taking place at 3pm will be shown on TV. The new EFL deal, meanwhile, which started this season, has more than 1,000 matches a year being screened live on Sky with Championship games being played at 12.30pm on Saturdays or Friday nights.
Stoke, for example, had two home games moved to a lunchtime kick-off last month alone. This weekend’s trip to Sunderland is also a 12.30pm start.
However, should the blackout come to an end, research has claimed that it could cost EFL clubs a combined £37m in matchday revenue which is likely to be factored into any subsequent deal.
Under Uefa’s article 48, which is applied for by the FA in conjunction with the Premier League and EFL, the blackout stipulations maintain that for it to be applied then 50 per cent of games in the Premier League and Championship must be scheduled for Saturday 3pm.
Get breaking Stoke City news sent direct to your phone
Get the latest Potters news and views and big-match action sent straight to your phone by joining our Stoke City WhatsApp community.
It's a free service. Fans who want to join must just have WhatsApp downloaded to their phone. Then all you have to do is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in.
No one will be able to see your personal information and you will only receive messages from StokeonTrentLive team. We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive daily updates with the latest Stoke City stories.
If for some reason you decide you no longer want to be in our community, you can leave at any time by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and clicking 'Exit Group'. It's as simple as that. Remember, just click this link to join in.
Join our new Whatsapp community! Click this link to receive daily Stoke City content and breaking news. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read ourPrivacy Notice.