The Premier League DENIES jeopardizing blackout rule after rescheduling Man City’s game with Leeds at 3pm on Saturday – insisting it’s due to ‘exceptional’ circumstances in line with King Charles’s coronation
- Man City’s match would be shown on Sky Sports on Sunday, May 7
- The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK on Saturday at 3pm
- The decision is to avoid a clash with King Charles III’s coronation
The Premier League was forced to deny that plans to break the 3pm blackout to broadcast Manchester City’s game against Leeds on the day of the King’s coronation will set a dangerous precedent for one of football’s most precious traditions.
City’s match was scheduled to be shown on Sky Sports on Sunday, May 7, but has been brought forward a day due to the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid on May 9.
The Premier League match will now take place on Saturday 6 May at 3pm and the match is still scheduled to be televised despite falling within the blackout period which bans the broadcasting of football matches in the UK.
A statement from the Premier League confirmed the match could not be moved to a lunchtime “so as not to clash with the King’s coronation”, while an evening kick-off was not possible due to a “lack of police resources”.
Leading fan groups disapproved of the decision. “This game should never have been chosen for a 2pm Sunday slot in the first place – it was completely predictable that Manchester City would progress in Europe, necessitating even more changes to domestic games thanks to TV,” said a spokesman for the Football Supporters’ Association told The Mail on Zondag.
Manchester City’s home game with Leeds United is unusually broadcast live to a UK audience despite starting at 3pm on Saturday
The game breaks the 3pm Saturday blackout rule that bans games from being broadcast in the UK
These ‘conditional choices’ are an ongoing, fundamental problem that neither football nor broadcasters want to solve. TV comes first and fans are expected to dance to his tune.
“Football must put match-goers first, before the demands of TV executives. We support the blackout and oppose any increase in the number of televised matches.’
The blackout, also known as Article 48 of the UEFA statutes, blocks the broadcast of matches at every level in England between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturday to protect match attendance and participation at the base.
The Premier League has struck ‘exceptional’ circumstances over King Charles’s coronation
Manchester United’s host of Chelsea has been confirmed for Thursday 25 May
Premier League sources stressed that a move to 3pm was only due to ‘exceptional’ circumstances and would not jeopardize the blackout as the next domestic television rights deal will also comply with Article 48.
The top flight still needs agreement with ‘relevant stakeholders’ before the match can be televised, including UEFA and the Football League, although the Premier League is confident they will get the necessary approval.
They believe the fact that all Championship matches have already been moved from Coronation Day will avoid any conflict as Rule 48 can only be implemented when 50 per cent of matches in the top two divisions start at 3pm.
The Premier League also confirmed the date and time for Manchester City’s away game against Brighton, now scheduled for Wednesday 24 May at 8pm.