Clasico: Barcelona - Real Madrid will not be broadcast live in the United Kingdom on 03/12/2016

The first Clasico of the 2016-17 season between FC Barcelona - Real Madrid (Matchday 14 of LaLiga Santander) will not be broadcast live in the United Kingdom, on Saturday, 03/12/2016 (kick-off at 16:15 local time, 15:15 in the UK), due to the ban on broadcasting football on Saturdays from 14:45 to 17:15 local time in the UK.

British law forbids football from being broadcast live on television during that time slot, in order to encourage fans to attend the games at the stadiums, and to limit the consumption of alcohol in pubs and bars on Saturday afternoons.

The Barcelona - Real Madrid match is scheduled for 16:15 to 18:00 CET to have a faviurable time slot for also the American (kick-off at 10:15 in New York) and Asian markets (01:15, in Shanghai). Pubs and establishments in the UK which have a Spanish satellite package can not show the Clasico live either.

"There were three time slots that might have suited: 13:00, 16:15, or 18:30. There is a seven hour time difference with Asia, so to play at 18:30 CET was too late. And to play at 13:00 CET was too early for the US market,…