The Premier League has been granted special permission to broadcast matches during the traditional Saturday 3pm television blackout on two dates this festive season, yet the league has chosen to maintain its longstanding restriction.
Reports say that the matter have revealed that exemptions were approved for December 27 and January 3, permitting live UK coverage of fixtures scheduled during the normally protected 2.45pm to 5.15pm window.
Despite this unprecedented opportunity to screen additional festive football, Premier League officials have confirmed they will not utilise these exemptions.
The decision underscores the league's commitment to preserving the blackout rule, which has been a cornerstone of English football broadcasting since the mid-1980s.
Regulations have been in place for nearly 40 years that have prevented the showing of matches at 3pm
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The Saturday afternoon blackout has protected English football since its inception in the 1960s, becoming enforceable across the UK from the mid-1980s.
This regulation prohibits live television coverage of matches between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturdays.
The restriction exists primarily to safeguard attendance figures at lower-division fixtures, ensuring supporters aren't tempted to stay home watching Premier League action instead of attending their local grounds.
Speaking at the Leaders football conference in early October, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters affirmed the league's position: "We are committed to it for the foreseeable future and it's not a decision that we make, it's done in conjunction with other football bodies, the EFL and the FA."
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The exemption process involves UEFA ratification of requests submitted by the FA before each season commences.
These applications emerge from consultations with various football stakeholders, including the EFL, FA Cup organisers, the Women's Super League and the Premier League itself.
UEFA's Article 48 governs these "blocked hours", requiring evidence that at least half of fixtures in the top two divisions or national cup competitions kick off at 3pm on Saturdays.
The threshold typically stands at eleven concurrent matches across the Premier League and Championship.
It has been reported that the December 27 and January 3 exemption requests didn't originate directly from Premier League headquarters.
Rather, other football bodies may have sought these dates to maintain flexibility during the congested festive schedule.
The Premier League's stance reflects both contractual obligations and philosophical principles.
Current broadcasting arrangements with Sky Sports and TNT Sports, valued and structured through 2029, allocate specific match slots and quantities to each broadcaster.
Sky Sports will broadcast 215 Premier League matches this season
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Sky's agreement encompasses 215 of 380 fixtures across various time slots, whilst TNT holds rights to Saturday lunchtime matches and select midweek rounds.
Altering these arrangements mid-cycle would prove commercially complex.
The 3pm blackout was brought in to protect crowd sizes
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Beyond contractual considerations, the league maintains its commitment to protecting attendance figures throughout English football's pyramid structure.
Officials recognise that expanded television coverage could potentially damage gate receipts at lower-division grounds, particularly during the festive period when supporters traditionally attend matches in person.