UK TV football blackout under threat

UK TV football blackout under threat again as La Liga chiefs back streaming of live games at 3pm on Saturday

• Live football can't be shown in the UK between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturday
• However Eleven Sports, which shows La Liga and Serie A, are defying the ban
• La Liga have given support to Eleven, saying the blackout is 'from a different age'

PUBLISHED: 06:50 BST, 11 October 2018 | UPDATED: 19:30 BST, 11 October 2018

Eleven Sports, which holds the rights to stream Serie A and La Liga matches in the UK, has already ignored the blackout by broadcasting games on the previous two Saturdays.

Joris Evers, head of communications for La Liga, told the Times: 'This type of blackout doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It's from a different age. We are aware of what Eleven Sports are doing and generally support them.

'People are used to watching things whenever and wherever they take place, on whatever devices they like.

'Today many people watch football in other ways, through piracy or video feeds or betting companies. There are other sports like rugby that are shown at that time on a Saturday.'

Andrea Radrizzani, who owns Eleven Sports and is also chairman of Leeds United, has already stated that he will continue to defy the ban and that the rule should be reconsidered.







The traditional black-out on live football coverage in the UK at 3pm on Saturday is under renewed threat, this time from Spain's La Liga.

Enforced by the FA since the 1950s to protect attendances at matches, live matches cannot be broadcast on television between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturdays.

However La Liga chiefs are backing the streaming of games in the UK on Saturday afternoons.

 

I could have sworn that the other day I read that the Leeds owner was complaining that they actually lose money from their games being so often televised because the money they receive for it is less than what they would get from ticket sales.

But here he is defying the rules to stream 3PM games online because he owns the company with the broadcasting rights. Hmm.

 

Sounds like the spirit of Don Revie lives on at Leeds United.

 

SKY are showing the mags in another 4 games, jesus we will suffer from boredom. well the Leeds supporters should get down and support them ! I just paid about £370 my 18 match season card, and all though I moan I will still go to every home game and back the lads, got sick of the over paid premier league anyway, but that is where the money is., we still get 28,000 wether or not we are on sky.