Article 48, seriously?

Amazin69 · 03-28-2024, 09:53 AM

So apparently I missed the episode of Welcome to Wrexham where this came up last fall, but it seems the UK has this Article 48 deal that prohibits live broadcasts of football matches on Saturdays, to protect the home gate.

Say what??? I know some MLB teams limited television in the early days of the box, but that was at the team's discretion, not in the league's by-laws. And that was pretty much done away with by the 1970s. Which were a significant time ago.

I often sing the praises of the UK in political forums (health care free at point of service! [Way better than this Medicare **** with its deductibles and co-pays] Honest elections SOLELY on paper ballots, with the tally agreed to by all parties! [Rather than "voting machines" that 10-year-olds can hack and "observers" pushed against a wall, yards from the tables] Political parties to the left of Racist Ronnie Reagan! Yes, really!), but ye gods, lads. So we can watch the games on NBC/USA, and there are the international telecasts (BE/IN TV and so forth), but you can't even screen a live-stream in Britain? Feh.

"You can take our freedom, but not our live sports!" —William Wallace.

(Not actually, but Braveheart was a complete joke as far as accuracy goes, anyhow.)

Syd Thrift · 03-28-2024, 10:00 AM

I mean, that’s exactly what the NFL has with the blackout rule. MLB for once has been smarter about it than other sports, is all.

Amazin69 · 03-28-2024, 10:09 AM

The blackout rule lifts if the game sells out. And if it doesn't, you get another game to watch. Apparently, the English spend their Saturdays…listening to the radio????

Blimey, Blighty! Next thing you know, you'll be telling me that you have to buy plugs separately from electrical appliances!

PocketsAintFull · 03-28-2024, 10:18 AM

Not just radio, we have analyst table shows where they talk about what's happening without showing it 😂 It applies from 3pm-5pm-ish. Not all PL games are live here regardless, I would roughly guess 40-50% without looking it up.

(Sky Sports are allowed to show lower level goals on occasion, fairly new)

Syd Thrift · 03-28-2024, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amazin69

The blackout rule lifts if the game sells out. And if it doesn't, you get another game to watch. Apparently, the English spend their Saturdays…listening to the radio????

Blimey, Blighty! Next thing you know, you'll be telling me that you have to buy plugs separately from electrical appliances!

I mean, it's a dumb rule and I think it's a dumb rule that the NFL has as well. I'm not at all condoning it. I will say that the entirety of the UK is the size as the state of Oregon so a "nationwide" blackout in their terms is basically the same as a blackout that covers one market in the US.

Amazin69 · 03-28-2024, 02:39 PM

Yes, but that is the totality of their fanbase. Also it's a bit of a denser population…there weren't 65,000,000 people in Oregon, last I heard.

(And again, at least Oregon gets a game. Not that they are ever actually blacked out, as they're not a home market for anybody, but I take your point.)

03-28-2024, 09:53 AM	#1
Amazin69 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 2,370 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	Article 48, seriously? So apparently I missed the episode of Welcome to Wrexham where this came up last fall, but it seems the UK has this Article 48 deal that prohibits live broadcasts of football matches on Saturdays, to protect the home gate. Say what??? I know some MLB teams limited television in the early days of the box, but that was at the team's discretion, not in the league's by-laws. And that was pretty much done away with by the 1970s. Which were a significant time ago. I often sing the praises of the UK in political forums (health care free at point of service! [Way better than this Medicare **** with its deductibles and co-pays] Honest elections SOLELY on paper ballots, with the tally agreed to by all parties! [Rather than "voting machines" that 10-year-olds can hack and "observers" pushed against a wall, yards from the tables] Political parties to the left of Racist Ronnie Reagan! Yes, really!), but ye gods, lads. So we can watch the games on NBC/USA, and there are the international telecasts (BE/IN TV and so forth), but you can't even screen a live-stream in Britain? Feh. "You can take our freedom, but not our live sports!" —William Wallace. (Not actually, but Braveheart was a complete joke as far as accuracy goes, anyhow.)

03-28-2024, 10:18 AM	#4
PocketsAintFull All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 1,771	Not just radio, we have analyst table shows where they talk about what's happening without showing it 😂 It applies from 3pm-5pm-ish. Not all PL games are live here regardless, I would roughly guess 40-50% without looking it up. (Sky Sports are allowed to show lower level goals on occasion, fairly new) __________________

03-28-2024, 10:09 AM	#3
Amazin69 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 2,370 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	The blackout rule lifts if the game sells out. And if it doesn't, you get another game to watch. Apparently, the English spend their Saturdays…listening to the radio???? Blimey, Blighty! Next thing you know, you'll be telling me that you have to buy plugs separately from electrical appliances!

03-28-2024, 02:39 PM	#6
Amazin69 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 2,370 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	Yes, but that is the totality of their fanbase. Also it's a bit of a denser population…there weren't 65,000,000 people in Oregon, last I heard. (And again, at least Oregon gets a game. Not that they are ever actually blacked out, as they're not a home market for anybody, but I take your point.)