The 3 PM blackout for football matches should be lifted: expert names the reasons.

Trevor East calls for the abolition of the 'blackout'

According to The Sun: Trevor East has spoken out in favor of abolishing the 'blackout time' for matches that start at 3 PM.

East, who now works at Pitch International, is one of the most well-known experts in the world of sports television. He considers piracy and 'dubious devices' to be a serious threat to the Premier League.

In his opinion, abolishing the 'blackout time' would allow fans who pay subscriptions to watch more matches.

This could reduce the number of people resorting to illegal streams to watch their favorite games.

The Premier League's last four-year deal was an impressive £6.7 billion with Sky Sports and TNT Sports.

Both broadcasters can show up to 270 matches per season combined.

East told The Mirror: “Every illegal dodgy fire stick sold for £75 quid is a subscriber lost.”

“This will harm the model, the situation is getting complicated, and the cost of rights will decrease.

“What happens next is obvious, but it will mean that clubs receive less and the league will suffer.”

“Even the current deal was bigger, but this also means more matches, and the cost per match is lower.

“They did it this way to ensure a growth in money, but what can they do next time?”

“They need to show more matches and lift the blackout.”

“It's no longer working when so many people watch illegal streams or when pubs and bars show matches illegally.

“People abroad can watch every match, and we cannot.”

Sky Sports has made a £935 million five-year deal with the EFL to broadcast over 1,000 games per season.

This deal will also expire at the same time as the Premier League deal.

East also claims that the existing 'blackout time' has no impact anymore as so many games are broadcast now.

He acknowledged that figures like Brian Clough were 'skeptical' about showing football on television, fearing it would 'kill the game at lower levels.'

Increased availability of broadcasts may impact traditional revenue models, requiring adaptation in light of new challenges such as piracy and changing consumer habits. These issues remain relevant for football clubs trying to maintain stability and profitability in a competitive environment.