The reason Celtic will end Saturday 3pm TV blackout this season as Sky Sports set for historic 65 year first
Livingston vs Celtic in December is set to end a 65-year run without Scottish football matches on a Saturday – but fans shouldn't expect it to become a wider occurrence in our game any time soon.
Eagle-eyed punters noticed that in today's SPFL TV picks announcement, two games over the festive period – the Hoops' trip to Livi on Saturday December 27, and the Dundee derby at Tannadice on Saturday January 3, had been picked for TV without the date or kickoff time being moved.
The games will in fact be shown live on Sky Sports at 3pm on their respective Saturdays – an historic deviation from the UEFA blackout rule which has been in place since 1960.
But fans hoping it could be the start of a wider move to live football on TV in the 3pm Saturday slot are sadly out of luck.
We understand the rare departure is being allowed due to a relaxation by UEFA for two weeks over the festive period only.
It's down to the hectic nature of the Christmas and New Year schedule, with 3pm Saturday broadcasts a solution to allow Sky to broadcast Premiership games back-to-back.
A Hampden source confirmed to Record Sport: 'This is not part of a wider move so fans shouldn't expect live Saturday 3pm kick offs to become a regular occurrence.
"It's just that the rule has been relaxed due to it being over the festive period and Sky were keen to show back to back Scottish Premiership games on the two Saturdays in question.'
Sky curiously haven't announced a second game for Saturday January 3 yet but that may come in time.
Saturday December 27
Livingston v Celtic, kick-off 3.00pm
Aberdeen v Dundee United, kick-off 5.45pm
Dundee United v Dundee, kick-off 3.00pm
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