The English Football League are considering scrapping the 3pm Saturday blackout in their next television deal from the 2024-25 season.
The Daily Mail is reporting that interested parties are being invited to bid for the next round of live TV broadcast rights. The likes of Facebook, Netflix, Google, Apple and Amazon are among the companies being targeted by the EFL, as well as the UK's primary domestic right holders, Sky Sports and BT Sport.
The report added: "The EFL's tender document is understood to be a request for proposals rather than a fixed offering, with the board seeking innovative solutions to the changing broadcast market. The board are convinced that by selling more matches they can get a better deal than the current £119 million-a-year contract with Sky, with a target of £200 million-a-year."
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There is said to be no set number of matches in the deal, with the EFL making clear they are willing to televise every game and scrap the blackout, which has been in place for live Saturday matches in the UK between 2:45pm and 5:15pm since the 1960s. The Telegraph add that bidders must submit responses by 5pm on November 21.
As it stands, the current model has exclusive rights to one broadcaster for a finite number of matches. That option will still be considered and maintaining this approach is not being ruled out. The current deal with Sky includes 138 games-per-year, with just two Championship matches shown per weekend.
By offering to ditch the blackout and approach other live stream platforms, the EFL is said to be keen to broaden its broadcasting offering and is open to new ideas. The blackout only applies to when 50 per cent of Premier League and Championship matches are due to kick-off at 3pm on a Saturday, so by shifting half the programme it will enable all games to be televised.
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