The recently appointed Chairman of the Football Association, Greg Clarke, has said he doesn’t see football being played anytime soon.
The Premier League plan is to open training in mid-May and then to start football at eight specific grounds one month later, so they can finish the season.
But more important to them it seems – so they can still get money from broadcast revenues; otherwise, they will lose a lot of that this season.
Since we have played 29 games of the 38, that would be a loss of 23.7% (9/38) – almost a quarter.
That could affect some of the smaller clubs in the Premier league like Burnley and Bournemouth as two examples.
They are small clubs, but they have had very decent teams over the last few years, although Bournemouth are precariously placed at 3rd bottom of the league at the moment.
This is what Clarke (shown above) has said today:
“The reality is that we just don’t know how things are going to pan out,” he wrote in a letter to the FA governing council.
“But with social distancing in place for some time to come we do face substantial changes to the whole football ecosystem.”
“For example it’s hard to foresee crowds of fans – who are the lifeblood of the game – returning to matches any time soon.
“In a worst-case scenario, this would be necessary for the next four years to offset a £300m deficit,”
That last sentence is a reference to the £75M budget cut the FA will likely take because of the pandemic.
The Premier League seems to be trying to start football in a cavalier fashion, but if lives are at stake, including the lives of the players, there’s no way this should be allowed.
Loading ...Comments are always welcome.
150 comments so far
Dondatta13
May 4, 2020 at 4:32 PM
Comment #1Scrap the league. Void it and move on already!
big bob
May 4, 2020 at 4:35 PM
Comment #2Scrapping league do you realise financially the implications to teams etc some will go bust with no income and TV will want money back
geordietom
May 4, 2020 at 4:36 PM
Comment #3Dave from previous , Australia AINT an option at this moment in time , for starters its one of the hardest country’s to get into with their border control’s . they wont want to take the chance that the virus gets into their country …
Dondatta13
May 4, 2020 at 4:38 PM
Comment #4And if a single player DIES? or a child in his family DIES?
Money isnt everything big bob. This virus is no joke mate. It’s a killer.
geordietom
May 4, 2020 at 4:38 PM
Comment #5bob what you said on previous thread makes sense , give them their summer holidays now , then once its safer start the league back up . just a thought …
the white tino
May 4, 2020 at 4:39 PM
Comment #6Big Bob, null and void the league, share prize money per league equally, I reckon about 75% of matches played so prize money is cut to equilavent don’t see any hardship in that through all leagues
geordietom
May 4, 2020 at 4:40 PM
Comment #7god i’m slow today i forgot …
i’m still confident about the takeover happening at our club …
Shadow_Shearer
May 4, 2020 at 4:41 PM
Comment #8Bla bla bla. No official announcement yet.
geordietom
May 4, 2020 at 4:42 PM
Comment #9i think the players will have the final say whether the league should start again or not …
big bob
May 4, 2020 at 4:43 PM
Comment #10Money will always be as important as life in the eyes of owners
They won’t want to pay players stupid money with nothing coming in
I know it’s no joke but you have to get on with life I have worked all the way through if I didn’t I would lose my job and have no money coming in but it’s what we have to do and footballers are no different we don’t get offered tests like these players will and I’m sure they will start up when they are safe but nothing can be 100%safe currently
hibbit
May 4, 2020 at 4:45 PM
Comment #11big bob what do you suggest we do risk players and staffs life’s and that’s without the danger this may put their families in,
i read yesterday it would take at least 350 people to stage one game, plus what ever police presence was deemed necessary ????
big bob
May 4, 2020 at 4:47 PM
Comment #12It’s not just TV money season ticket money will need to be paid back sponsorship deals private boxes etc and a lot of players are not taking pay cuts
RobLeenio
May 4, 2020 at 4:49 PM
Comment #13Talking of the virus again, who was the blogger who said he was going to return to his job in the NHS after having retired as he’d been asked to go back?
I hope they’re safe.
OP, too, as he hasn’t been on for a good while now….
ilovetoon8788
May 4, 2020 at 4:50 PM
Comment #14@8
There’s no announcement because epl has still not approved the takeover. It could be rejected. Could go either way and still be stuck under Ashley.
Atleast another 3 weeks is my prediction, to know the outcome.
jane
May 4, 2020 at 4:50 PM
Comment #15there will need to be some crowd maybe with some kind of social distancing. behind closed doors won’t work.
hibbit
May 4, 2020 at 4:51 PM
Comment #16WUM alert !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
geordietom
May 4, 2020 at 4:52 PM
Comment #17To me its about staying safe and not taking the risk that you could carry this terrible virus back to your household …
Jib
May 4, 2020 at 4:52 PM
Comment #18No comment required
big bob
May 4, 2020 at 4:53 PM
Comment #19I believe in a few weeks time when things start getting back to some sort of normality players can be tested regularly and staff etc and players families then they can move forward with a plan NRL rugby in Australia starting back up end of month this is contact sport so not sure the difference just have to see how that develops
bettyswallocks
May 4, 2020 at 4:53 PM
Comment #20Managed to find a little beach bar still open with a few ex pats having drinks.
One pretentious southern woman a bit worse for wear came over for a chat and tried to be condescending . ” That’s a nice beer belly you’ve got there .” She said in a snotty voice . ” Is that lager or bitter?”
My reply was, ” There”s a tap underneath pet , why don’t you taste it and find out.”
geordietom
May 4, 2020 at 4:55 PM
Comment #21Betty’s …
same color as lager…
😀
geordietom
May 4, 2020 at 4:57 PM
Comment #22movie for the blog …
Stir Crazy …
Captain AmeriMag
May 4, 2020 at 4:58 PM
Comment #23It turns out refreshing Twitter every 30 seconds doesn’t make the takeover happen any faster!
It would probably help my mental health and marriage if I stopped doing it and did something more productive…..but I’ve never been a quitter!!
Refresh refresh refresh!!
#CANS
The mighty wyn
May 4, 2020 at 4:59 PM
Comment #24Robleenio @ 13
It was me that went back to NHS from retirement. Thanks for your concern.
All ok but have been in a few places to deliver stuff where they have covid so just trying to be careful
jane
May 4, 2020 at 5:02 PM
Comment #25“I hope they’re safe.”
has cyprus posted?
RobLeenio
May 4, 2020 at 5:03 PM
Comment #26The Mighty Wyn, sorry I couldn’t remember who it was, I wanted to say thanks.
Stay safe matey!
The same goes for all other bloggers working with the NHS.
Dondatta13
May 4, 2020 at 5:05 PM
Comment #27big bob…
The entire globe is in financial ruin at the moment. The USA has pumped at least $2 Trillion into their economy to help businesses fight this thing. How many Billion £ has been used by this country to help people through this horrendous pandemic?
Airlines grounded, cruise ships docked, even the film industry has been halted in its track!
I shudder to think what financial implications just those 3 industries have suffered. Lets remember one large movie hit can make over a Billion. Then imagine all the family implications connected to just those 3 industries.
Unfortunately this is just the tip of the iceberg. I haven’t begun to scratch the surface. Financial repercussions are severe everywhere.
I respect your views, each to their own I guess but I can guarantee if a
player in the premier league catches this virus and looses his life or that of one of his family (a child or his wife etc), the league will get sued and the litigation won’t be cheap.
IMHO it’s just not worth it.
jane
May 4, 2020 at 5:11 PM
Comment #28maybe they could sign something to say they will play at their own risk.
jane
May 4, 2020 at 5:11 PM
Comment #29plenty of other will play if they don’t wan to!
G
May 4, 2020 at 5:12 PM
Comment #30Asumming football does start again at some point it obvs will have to happen without crowds. Can I just state how ridiculous over elaborate goal celebrations look without a crowd? Nothing more than a pat off the back from team mates allowed hopefully, and none of this hugging malarkey that ammuses the egg chasers fans.
JohnReese
May 4, 2020 at 5:14 PM
Comment #31I know it might sound harsh but I do believe the season should be voided. If a club in the premier league, with the money that has been available over the past 10-15 years can not support itself through this time then it was clearly living well outside of its means. I know not every club is in a position to do so but there’s also the potential of the owner(s) putting in an interest free loan, made payable once play resumes. To help maintain the club, I know that goes against the leagues FFP but I’m sure under the circumstances it would be allowed.
Novocastrian66
May 4, 2020 at 5:14 PM
Comment #32Dondatta13; thanks for that cheery outlook.
Budge123
May 4, 2020 at 5:17 PM
Comment #33Void the season furlough the players.
Costs under control!
On another note just got email from NUFC – not saying owt of interest- so departments must be back working
Ron Knee
May 4, 2020 at 5:17 PM
Comment #34Why would a wealthy footballer risk his and his family’s health?
Dondatta13
May 4, 2020 at 5:18 PM
Comment #35Jane, and if they don’t agree?
Teams will be fielding weakened teams. Home advantages would be lost as games to be played at neutral grounds. No supporters allowed in.
That’s changing the conditions massively 3/4 of the way through a season.
Let’s suppose for NUFC, Dubravka, Miggy, ASM, the Longstaff brothers don’t sign up to play… Would we be happy and consider it fair to play out the season without them?
I know I wouldn’t like that!
Novocastrian66
May 4, 2020 at 5:19 PM
Comment #36Jib; ” Sunderland is not a tenable answer.” However Sunderland was a terrible answer.
Dondatta13
May 4, 2020 at 5:20 PM
Comment #37Sorry Novocastrian66 lol
#cans mate 😉
jane
May 4, 2020 at 5:24 PM
Comment #38“Why would a wealthy footballer risk his and his family’s health?”
to get paid. they would be tested.
Novocastrian66
May 4, 2020 at 5:26 PM
Comment #39Dondatta13; Nee bother mate. I agree that the league should be binned. No relegation. No promotion. No title winners. Nowt. It’s tough on some a bonus for others. Such is life. PL clubs should give a rebate on next season’s tv money. No doubt 19 of the 20 clubs will have already spent this season’s money. Looks like Ashley has done us a favour by not putting the club in hock.
jane
May 4, 2020 at 5:26 PM
Comment #40“Home advantages would be lost as games to be played at neutral grounds. ”
i agree neutral grounds is a non starter