Why last Hearts v Hibs Edinburgh derby this season will not be shown live on club PPV

The final Edinburgh derby of the season cannot be screened live on club pay-per-view due to restrictions in place around the TV deal.

Hearts will host arch-rivals Hibs on Saturday, 27 May, with the result potentially having huge ramifications in the hunt for European football.

The match was not selected for live broadcast by Sky Sports, who chose instead to screen Celtic v Aberdeen at the same time as Ange Postecoglou’s side are expected to close out the campaign as champions.

Due to the terms of the deal with the broadcaster, clubs cannot show another match at the same time. So even though Hearts-Hibs has a 12.30pm kick-off, neither side can screen it for supporters based in the UK or Ireland. International subscribers to Hearts TV and Hibs TV will still be able to tune in.

Hearts and Hibs will battle it out at Tynecastle Park in the final match of the 2022/23 league season for both clubs. Picture: SNS

Similarly, Hearts’ match with Aberdeen on May 20 can also not be screened on PPV. This is due to the blackout which exists between 14.45pm and 17.15pm on Saturdays.

Message from the editor

Thank you for reading this article. If you haven't already, please consider supporting our sports coverage with a digital sports subscription.