The UK's Saturday 3pm TV blackout rule, which prevents live football games being broadcast on television in the country between 2.45pm and 5.15pm, could be ditched for the women's game from next season, according to the Daily Mail.

The rule was implemented by the Football Association (FA) after concerns it would lower attendances of other men's matches that were not being televised and reduce income.

However, as the women's game continues to grow in popularity, there is mounting pressure to reassess the rule, which was originally introduced to protect spectator numbers at stadiums only in the men's game and before the women's game became more prominent.

Since its inception in 2010, the Women's Super League (WSL), the top division in English women's football, has experienced steady growth both on and off the pitch. The report suggests that figures in the women's game will ask authorities to assess the rule as it concerns to the WSL.

Irregular kick-off times and a move out of its previous summer slot has seen the WSL criticised for being hard to follow. The consensus is that a settled 3pm kick-off time for the majority of games, which could also be shown on TV, would play a big part in rectifying this.

Currently, WSL matches are broadcast on TV by BT Sport, online and via the red-button by the BBC and through the league's Facebook page. Previously, games were shown by ESPN as part of an exclusive broadcast rights deal which ran from 2009 to 2013.

This year the top-flight went fully professional for the first time and secured a £10 million title-sponsorship deal with Barclays until 2022, a first for the WSL. (www.sportspromedia.com/)