The meeting between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Nou Camp will be screened in over 100 countries but, despite the huge appetite for the game on these shores, the UK audience will have to make do with highlights due to the game's kick-off time.
La Liga have confirmed the match will get under way at 4.15pm on December 3, and a UK rule prevents live football from being televised between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturdays.
THE LIVE BLACKOUT RULE:
In the 1960s, Burnley chairman Bob Lord convinced his counterparts in the Football League that televised matches on Saturday afternoons would have a negative effect on attendances and affect financial income.
As a result, the FA, Premier League and Football League agreed not to screen live football between 2.45pm and 5:15pm on a Saturday within the United Kingdom.
The FA Cup final was an exception and had been broadcast at 3pm on a Saturday in May before being moved to 5pm in 2012.
That agreement was struck by the Football Association, Premier League and Football League several decades ago, in an effort to encourage fans to attend matches in this country.
Fans of Spanish football in the USA, China and much of the rest of Europe will be able to enjoy the game, however.
The scheduling of the fixture to fall in the Saturday afternoon slot is part of a deliberate ploy by La Liga to take viewing figures away from the Premier League.
In 2014, Sky Sports viewers had to make do with missing the first 15 minutes of Luis Suarez's debut for Barcelona as that particular El Clasico kicked off at 5pm while, a year prior, Gareth Bale's Real Madrid bow was truncated by the out-dated rule.
No comments:
Post a Comment