The EFL are reportedly preparing to make every match available for live broadcast as they consider ending the Saturday 3pm blackout.
Fans in the UK are currently not permitted to watch games in the traditional Saturday kick-off slot unless they are at the ground due to the blackout rule which came into effect in the 1960s. Article 48 of UEFA's statues currently stipulates that no Premier League, Football League or FA Cup matches can be broadcast on live UK television on Saturday between 14.45 and 17.15.
However, according to the Daily Mail, that could all change, with the EFL sending invitations to big broadcasters such as Facebook, Netflix, Google, Apple, Amazon, Sky Sports and BT Sport, requesting proposals as the board seek to alter the way matches are broadcast in a radical move.
It is claimed the EFL are convinced that being able to sell more matches for TV and streaming rights they can bolster the coffers, with the financial target said to be £200m per year. The current EFL broadcast deal is worth £119m per year.
The tentative plan is for this new initiative to come into place for the 2024/25 season. If it is successful and the EFL strike a deal, it will mean all of Cardiff City and Swansea City's Championship matches, providing they have not been promoted into the Premier League of course, will be available for streaming or live on TV in the UK. The same goes for Newport County, too, of course, and Wrexham if they achieve promotion into the Football League.
The Mail claim clubs with American owners are particularly in favour of selling more matches to streaming companies, however they did not state specifically whether Swansea were one of those clubs.
The Premier League still support the blackout, however they are expected to be interested onlookers regarding both the tender process and the club and fan reactions to every game becoming available.
However, the Premier League has already began to move away from its traditional 3pm kick-off window, with matches now spread right across the weekend from Friday night through until Monday night, sometimes with just a couple of games pencilled in for the Saturday afternoon slot.
In the Championship, League One and League Two, of course, the vast majority of weekend games are still scheduled for Saturday at 3pm.
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