THERE are some relics of the past that are thankfully preserved within Scottish football. A half-time pie and Bovril. The absolute disdain for – and absence of – half-and-half scarves. Somerset Park.

One anachronistic feature of the game though that is beginning to attract doubts over its merit in this digital day and age is that of the 3pm TV blackout, a hark back to a bygone age when live football on television was a rare treat, rather than the ubiquitous presence it is now.

The idea actually dates back to the 1960s, when Burnley chairman Bob Lord convinced English clubs that it was essential to ban the live broadcast of matches played at the traditional time of 3pm on a Saturday in order to protect the revenue generated by getting fans through the gate.

While the paying punter is still a key revenue stream for Scottish clubs in particular, whose income is made up of a higher percentage of ticket money than anywhere else in Europe, there is no hard evidence to suggest that it the removal of the TV blackout would have a material impact on attendances.

If operating without a blackout doesn’t affect lower league attendances in France, Italy, Germany, Sweden or anywhere else in Europe, then why would it exclusively have an impact in Scotland, as was suggested by SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster after he signed off on the latest SPFL broadcast deal recently?

“Some games will be an exception where they will be a sell-out whether it is on TV or not, but broadly speaking,” Doncaster said.

“So, there is undoubtedly in the UK – and it may be different in some other countries - but undoubtedly in the UK there is a cannibalisation effect when you take a game from non-live to live on TV.

“So, there is a balance to be struck, and my belief is that the right balance has been struck. That appears to be a view that’s echoed by the vast majority of clubs.”

A view shared by the majority of clubs it may well be, but selling it as an undoubted fact is a bit of a stretch, to say the least.

The Herald: SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster believes that ending the TV blackout in the UK would affect attendances.SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster believes that ending the TV blackout in the UK would affect attendances.

In fact, it is only Scotland, Montenegro and England that still operate with such a blackout in place, with the leagues and associations in each country invoking UEFA article 48 to impose such a ban. But it seems like it may just be ourselves and our buddies from the Balkans who will persevere with it in the near future.

It was the decision of the English FA to allow FA Cup matches to be shown live on the BBC during blackout hours last weekend that has sparked fresh debate over the issue, and the fact those matches were also broadcast in Scotland was questioned by critics of the blackout.

It is a sign of the way the wind is blowing south of the border, with the EFL inviting broadcasters to discuss how the league might be shown on streaming channels as well as on television from season 2024/25, when their current broadcast deal with Sky Sports will expire.

Among the suggestions that have come forward is dropping the blackout on coverage between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on a Saturday, something that some – but not all - at the SFA are understood to be keen to resist alongside their league counterparts from down the corridor at Hampden.

What that would mean, of course, is that English lower league matches could be shown in Scotland during Scottish blackout hours, though any argument that development could have ramifications on Scottish attendances seems flimsy at best.

How long Scottish belligerence can hold though is up for debate. Clubs partly filled the gap in revenues during the Covid pandemic by selling streams of matches to fans that were stuck in their living rooms, and there are many within the game who would dearly like the option to sell streams to fans who might not be able to attend games.

There is also a consideration to be made of the way that people now consume football. Like it or not, there is a young generation of football fans out there who may not be in the habit of going to games, but are a potential market nonetheless. Scottish football could benefit from a centralised streaming model that offered games to that market, and internationally too.

Instead, the situation at present encourages fans who don’t go to games or can’t make it to games to simply take advantage of illegal, but easily accessible, IPTV streams of matches.

Those who want to watch football in the house at 3pm on a Saturday will do so, whether Scottish football is legally broadcast or not. It makes sense therefore to at least try to monetise that market, and allow all clubs right down the ladder to sell streams of their games to supporters.

Equally, those who go to games, in my view, will also continue to do so, as borne out by the attendances in just about every other country in Europe.

By resisting progress in such a way, the wide belief within Scottish football may be that they are protecting smaller clubs and sticking to noble principles, but from the outside, it increasingly looks like the game here is just stuck in the past.

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