Why wasn’t the Barcelona vs Real Madrid match shown in the UK? What is the opacity rule?

It was the first Clásico of the year, and the first ever Jude Bellinghamthe new star of real madridwhich folded Barcelona The defending champion has a brace, the third in the first 11 days of La Liga (the same number of goals of the season scored by the Englishman, the protagonist who has made a record start). They admired him from all over the world, because all eyes were on Montjuïc Stadium (the Catalan club’s home ground while waiting for the Camp Nou to be completed its renovation), except for the United Kingdom. The match was not even broadcast on television there

What is the blackout law and how does it work

the reason? The timing, 3.15pm across the channel, was chosen to facilitate viewing in Asia, where there is no shortage of fans (and therefore business). Unfortunately, in the UK there is a ‘blackout rule’. Which, in a time period ranging from 2.45pm to 5.15pm on Saturday, prevents the broadcast of English Premier League, Football League and FA Cup matches, as well as foreign matches, from the Italian League to the Spanish League. This rule came into effect in the 1960s and the English Premier League clubs decided to renew it until 2029. The idea is that this blackout protects the minor leagues: many fans may stay at home and watch the Premier League rather than pay for a ticket to closely support their local team.

A base born in the 1960s

In fact, 60 years ago, he was the then Burnley boss Bob Lord He succeeded in convincing other bosses of the danger posed by televised matches on Saturday afternoons. This could have had a negative impact on fan participation in league matches Lowersiori. Bob Lord was convinced, for example, that if Manchester United played Liverpool on Saturday at 3pm, fans of lower division teams would prefer to watch the match on television rather than attend their favorite team’s match. All of this would have resulted in less revenue.

Controversy and precedent with Cristiano Ronaldo

Until recently, the FA Cup Final was an exception, being broadcast at 3pm on a Saturday in May; However, in 2012 it was moved to 5 p.m. To comply with lockdown rules, the final day of the Premier League for example requires all ten matches to start at the same time on Sunday at 3pm.The final round of football league matches is scheduled to be held at three o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday. During the blackout period, live radio broadcasts are permitted at both national and local levels, while it is illegal for public places such as pubs and bars to broadcast 3pm matches.

Obviously there is no shortage of controversy and different viewpoints. The UK remains the only country besides Montenegro to benefit from Article 48 of the UEFA Statutes. Which Member states are allowed to choose a two-and-a-half-hour time period on weekends during which live football matches are prohibited from being shown on screens. The problem also arose when Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United: his new debut, in fact, took place on Saturday. On the other hand, Newcastle scored two goals against the Portuguese. A weakness that few were able to witness.