Premier League Suspended Until April 30th

[tombrown]

As Momo said, other workplaces are remaining open with precautions in place, so why couldn't that be the case for football clubs at some stage?

Other workplaces don't have a bunch of lunatics watching them do their jobs, so remove that difference and a football ground just becomes another place of work.

Mind you, not sure how you enforce social separation when going in for a tackle ...

 

[Farkmaster]

The big issue is that it sends the wrong message. Sports switching off really alerted people all was not normal. Resuming it will both result in more socializing to actually watch, as well as signal a return to normalcy. It's an odd thing to be speculating about, when in 3 weeks, it could be totally reasonable that the uk has a grip on this just ahout, or, that a thousand people are dying every day.

 

[Judge Jules]

It sends the wrong message only if it's done at the wrong time, i.e.against the prevailing medical and scientific advice, and there isn't any way that'll be allowed to happen. Entirely agree about not knowing what the picture will be in 3 weeks' time, but can't see what's odd about thinking through the more optimistic scenario.

 

[MomoWASright]

I would expect every business in the U.K. has drafted up a number of scenarios all depending on what advice we may or may not receive at various points. The premier league is no different.

 

[Donavan Ried]

Again I reckon that's too sweeping. Certainly in the UK we may well see variable levels of control imposed from central government as the virus waxes and wanes for probably the next year. That kind of approach could lead to a situation in which various occupations, not just (not even principally) football, decide that the risk of restarting is outweighed by the drawbacks of not doing so.

I think that you underestimate the level of say that Club lawyers and Insurance companies will have in the matter

 

[Judge Jules]

And I think you're wide of the mark if you reckon they'll all be pushing for a cautious approach. The risk of legal action against the league from numerous disappointed clubs, not just us, if the season is cancelled is a very real one, it's bound to have weighed heavily in the recent discussions and it will loom larger still when current restrictions are relaxed.

 

[manwithnoname]

I would expect every business in the U.K. has drafted up a number of scenarios all depending on what advice we may or may not receive at various points. The premier league is no different.

No, but elite sport, especially football, is quite unique.

It has incredibly strong regional and cultural significance; there's a sort of dependency in many communities, which also incorporates social activity and routines.

And it also has the associated economic dependencies on match days , for workers and staff and local amenities; pubs, chippies etc. And obviously the match day revenues for the clubs.

And then you gave the wider economy - the broadcast rights, the subscription fees, the prize money, the advertising money associated with monetising the audience at home and in pubs, plus the other international tournaments.

If there is a way to finish the season somehow, with empty stadiums and free streaming, I'm sure it will be looked at.

Sky and BT can't carry on charging people for a service that they no longer offer, so their subs and ad revenues will be hit badly, and there's hundreds of journalists and broadcasters who are currently taking a salary without actual reporting on football for the foreseeable future.

 

[MomoWASright]

I believe the streaming and empty stadia will happen. Possibly at neutral venues to prevent fans from congregating outside.

They will want to finish the season to meet all their contractual/commercial obligations. They will also want to do that as quickly as possible.

Sky and BT must be losing money hand over fist. Some would say most reporters get paid for doing nothing.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

There were 800 odd deaths in Italy today, the UK had about 50, which is what Italy had three weeks ago. They went into lockdown two weeks ago, and it still hasn't slowed it down. I'd guess it'll be another week before it does. So, it'll be about a month before it stabilises in the UK, best case scenario is that they're playing games again two months or so.

 

[Donavan Ried]

And I think you're wide of the mark if you reckon they'll all be pushing for a cautious approach. The risk of legal action against the league from numerous disappointed clubs, not just us, if the season is cancelled is a very real one, it's bound to have weighed heavily in the recent discussions and it will loom larger still when current restrictions are relaxed.

I was thinking about the legal action should a player contract the virus and he or someone else in his family dies as a result

 

[Jack D Rips]

I would be very surprised if there any games before July at the earliest.

 

[FoxForceFive]

I actually think they'll take the opposite view. I think they'll want to get footy back ASAP.

Primarily, cos the TV rights money means so much to clubs, so behind closed doors mean very little.

Secondarily, is the 'bread and circuses' argument. We're all stuck at home. Give us a taste of normality & hope that it'll come back to a normal situation at some point, & it'll quell a lot of potential issues.

There's also the huge tv cash money that hasn't been paid out yet cos the season hasn't been finished, even relegation threatened teams want that cash.

I actually see it going behind closed doors by 1st June to get the season finished, & then they renegotiate next season when they know when it can actually be started.

 

[mark1975]

Season delayed, to commence after 1st June, apparently.

 

[The Nomad]

There were 800 odd deaths in Italy today, the UK had about 50, which is what Italy had three weeks ago. They went into lockdown two weeks ago, and it still hasn't slowed it down. I'd guess it'll be another week before it does. So, it'll be about a month before it stabilises in the UK, best case scenario is that they're playing games again two months or so.

Exactly two weeks ago Italy was on 233 total
Yesterday UK hit 233

We are tracking exactly two weeks behind them.

Yet people don't seem to take it seriously, because they are only likely to get a bad cold themselves.