3pm TV blackout to be lifted for 2020/21 season until all fans back in stadiums

The season will be televised

The 3pm TV blackout is set to be lifted for the 2020/21 season, the Times have reported. This unprecedented change to a pillar of the British football experience means that every single Premier League game is likely to be televised throughout the season across different time slots, just as they were when the league restarted in June. The Premier League were initially hesitant to make such a change, their stance was that the original contracts signed with BT Sport and Sky would stand, meaning 40 per cent of games would not be shown on TV. But with fans still not allowed in stadiums for the foreseeable future, big clubs have expressed concerns that retaining the blackout would push fans to illegally streaming games. In the case of every game being televised, clubs are expected to give season ticket holders codes to access the games while they are still not allowed in the stadiums. Broadcasters are making plans to expand their coverage but will not make games free to air, as happened during the restart, the Times say. While games are played behind closed doors, these news measures will also apply to Championship, League One and League Two matches, either via Sky - who have the current EFL rights - or via the ifollow streaming platform run by each club.