Could Celtic Finally Benefit From the End of Football’s 3pm Blackout? A Huge Opportunity for Scottish Football

For years, Celtic supporters have had to put up with one of the most frustrating traditions in British football: the Saturday 3pm television blackout.

You can travel abroad and watch matches that supporters back home cannot legally watch live. You can follow games from other European leagues, but when Celtic kick off at 3pm on a Saturday, many of us are left relying on radio coverage, updates and the occasional dodgy stream.

That could finally be about to change.

The SPFL has opened the bidding process for its next television rights agreement, which will begin in the 2029/30 season. Crucially, it has indicated that broadcasters can propose showing more matches than the current deal allows, potentially including Saturday 3pm fixtures.

At present, Sky Sports can show up to 60 Premiership matches per season, with Premier Sports entitled to another 22. There are 228 league fixtures in total, meaning the majority are unavailable to watch live domestically.

Imagine a future where every Celtic league match is available to watch legally, regardless of kick-off time.

For supporters who cannot make every away fixture, or those living outside Glasgow, that would be a significant improvement. More importantly, a stronger broadcasting deal could bring additional revenue into Scottish football and give Celtic greater financial resources to compete.

However, there is an important complication.

The Scottish FA has already warned against rushing into scrapping the blackout, highlighting the potential consequences for smaller clubs and attendances across the football pyramid. The restriction exists to protect the traditional Saturday afternoon match-going experience, particularly for clubs who depend heavily on supporters through the gates.

And that concern deserves to be taken seriously. We cannot look at this purely through Celtic’s financial interests.

There is also no guarantee the blackout will disappear. The relevant football associations would need to agree to changes, and any eventual broadcasting package would still depend on the bids received and the clubs’ approval.

But Scottish football cannot ignore the changing broadcasting landscape forever.

Celtic should be pushing for a television deal that reflects the size of the club, the demand from supporters and the commercial potential of the league.

The next rights agreement could be one of the most important financial decisions Scottish football makes in years.

The 3pm blackout has been part of the game for generations. But perhaps its days are finally numbered.