Club Statement: Coronavirus

[blue1948]

I say we null and void the footy and try again when people have stopped dying.

Here in Finland it is a lot better than other places ( I hope it stays that way ) we had no deaths yesterday .Absolutely chuffed about that .We have now been advised to stay 9m away from others and to wear a scarf across our faces rather than a face mask ,apparently the putting on and taking off of the mask is the problem touching your face with possibly contaminated hands .
Let us all see that new bloody stadium COYB.

 

[MikeH72]

All international fixtures in june postponed.

If it's not safe for international football then its surely not safe for club football either.

Yeah but TV money and lower league clubs or something.

 

[catcherintherye]

This last bit is probably true whatever the outcome, whether it's resumed or voided.

I agree with a lot of what you say here, but I can't agree that reshuffling calendars due to an unforeseen international crisis (therefore not up for debate) is harder than having to void a season and all of the legal, financial and ethical consequences that come with that, as you mentioned. It's essentially a scheduling issue (something which they'd already committed to with the World Cup) vs totally unchartered waters.

Reference Liverpools shirts, it was on The Athletic the other week that Nike have agreed to let them continue with New Balance until the start of next season, whenever that will be.

Ok, well potentially yes. However I like the finality and simplicity involved in cancelling and voiding. I am probably allowing my Primary School Teaching background to come out, but I always liked simple, clear solutions to difficult challenges, even if they were at times problematic. I don't really see how lots of problems arise. I can see why people are upset, or feel hard done by, but to me it's not overly complicated.

Well harder is a different word to more complex. Reshuffling calendars over a prolonged period is unforeseen and has a whole range of discussions with different partners. Arguing whether it's morally right or wrong is one thing, but it's enormously complex. Such a change is a fundamental re-adjusgment of the basis of the game. Maybe people would support it? But there has been absolutely no discussion on this whatsoever and the context for the discussion should not be in the midst of a pandemic.

There is an aspect of it being scheduling issue, however certain European countries (as you'd hope we would link in with the main European leagues-hence more discussions and problems either way) may not be playable in the summer (which will be the consequence of this. You got to Malaga, or Naples in the height of summer, and nobody is outside in the mid afternoon, when we are expecting athletes to produce the same quality and standard package we now enjoy. It may not be safe to play league matches in that context etc.

There are major issues with each broadcaster, who may well not require, want or be prepared to pay such a premium for football in the summer. There is no tradition, no market research or anything else of league football through the summer.

For me it feels an awful lot of re-jigging just to avoid repeating a single season. I mean is a 10 game end of season circus really worth re-jigging the entirety of football for? Seasons don't have breaks. To have a several month break in the middle of a season already feels wrong to me. It just feels like we need a clean break on the issue.

I suspect most clubs will have the same view as well, and arrive at the logical conclusion that we need to start afresh from this mess.

 

[mahermi1]

I completely agree that no football should be played until people have stopped dying

Think he meant when this pandemic is over and I agree.

 

[BlueStevie35]

My personal take on it is that football will not get back to the "regular seasons" for a few years & I expect there to be many delays and changes to the way we all live our lives, with frequent suspensions of large gatherings becoming the norm for the next few years. With that in mind, my vote would be when it is safe to play, play the next game in the schedule and continue in that fashion. The worst outcome for football here would be to void this season, start another one and then have to void that as well.

Again, just my opinion, it most likely will end up voided and if that's the decision that's the decision, but it undoubtedly comes with complications.

PS - excuse the typo's and spelling errors

Scaremongering at its finest more like, at most it’ll impact one season either by shortening the fixture list or having a one season respite on the Carabao Cup and EFL Trophy and having drawn FA Cup ties go straight to pens to allow more midweek rounds

 

[Yarrgh]

I think he's partially right. I don't think Sky will withhold all the funds (and it's not even a case of that, they would have to win back monies that have been paid out, which is very difficult). That being said the discussion here is soon going to be, we either finish this season, or finish next season. I don't think you can do both. Cancelling next season, and clubs go bust, there's no doubt about that.

I did a quick cursory scan, of what a 25% hit on TV money and a 25-40% hit on sponsorship and 20% hit on gates does to clubs and it's not pretty. Nobody makes a profit. A lot of clubs are already at a point where wages are higher than turnover. I think those numbers above are actually quite cautious and in many ways a best case scenario.

I struggle to see how football operates in the same way. I think e are talking about whether we have recession and serious deflation on the one hand, against an out an out rout on the other.

The other angle to consider for this, is America are getting hammered. Hedge funds in particular taking a pounding. Those who own shares on sports company's are going to see them greatly reduced, and may even get to a point of negative equity quite quickly. It's not infeasible a Glazer or an FSG went bust, and if they do, you have a Leeds United situation on your hands. Creditors from outside of sports, who are desperate will start fireselling assets to gain owed money back.

Within this context, if you are a multi-billionaire, perhaps with a diverse portfolio, with assets around the globe, including places such as Russia (who have not been as hit) you are in a strategically very strong position as your pound in the pocket is going to go a lot lot further than 3 months ago. If you are willing to sustain even quite moderate investment, there are huge benefits that follow suit.

I remember remarking in many ways Moshiri arrived perhaps 5 years too late. I suspect spending will go as low as it was in 2008 (about £850m) this summer. We are back to to levels of spending about 5-10 years ago, where such an investment would go a lot further.

Unfortunately Russia has been hit by this thing. Mrs Yarrgh's reports from the mother land have the place on an extended holiday for the next few weeks. It's pretty much as here in broad terms.

 

[Deleted member 38674]

Reshuffling calendars over a prolonged period is unforeseen and has a whole range of discussions with different partners. Arguing whether it's morally right or wrong is one thing, but it's enormously complex. Such a change is a fundamental re-adjusgment of the basis of the game. Maybe people would support it? But there has been absolutely no discussion on this whatsoever and the context for the discussion should not be in the midst of a pandemic.

I don't think it's particularly complex to pause a season and resume it on the same basis, in whatever month the authorities deem it safe to do so.

This break has been forced upon us. It wasn't a choice for any club. Even if you void this current season, the possibility of picking up next season in August as normal is fairly remote, as things stand. It's even more unlikely that this new season would be able to successfully run without interruption and with crowds of fans to May without a 2nd peak of the virus hitting - and the prospect of voiding a 2nd season on the bounce.

There is an aspect of it being scheduling issue, however certain European countries (as you'd hope we would link in with the main European leagues-hence more discussions and problems either way) may not be playable in the summer (which will be the consequence of this. You got to Malaga, or Naples in the height of summer, and nobody is outside in the mid afternoon, when we are expecting athletes to produce the same quality and standard package we now enjoy. It may not be safe to play league matches in that context etc.

Your argument about safely playing Football in July isn’t really just as World Cups and other international tournaments typically take place across this period, and have taken place with great performances, in a variety of blistering hot countries over the years. Professional Football is played, in some format or another, all year round.

There are major issues with each broadcaster, who may well not require, want or be prepared to pay such a premium for football in the summer. There is no tradition, no market research or anything else of league football through the summer.

Sure there is, there are plenty of leagues that run through the summer months already. The most-watched Football events, even the most watched sporting events, occur in summers. There is no evidence at all to suggest that broadcasters would want a concession for Premier League Football being played in July rather than August, that is fanciful.

For me it feels an awful lot of re-jigging just to avoid repeating a single season. I mean is a 10 game end of season circus really worth re-jigging the entirety of football for? Seasons don't have breaks

The issue is less about repeating the current season, I don’t think that’s the main concern for most. The dire financial consequences are the main issue for most clubs and for the authorities it’s the hot potato (that they really don’t want) of choosing how teams are relegated / promoted / awarded for next season. Are 8th placed Spurs back in the Champions League for example?

I suspect most clubs will have the same view as well, and arrive at the logical conclusion that we need to start afresh from this mess.

You could well be right, but the 60+ national league clubs didn't arrive at that conclusion recently. It upset quite a lot of them.

 

[blue to the bone]

Wimbledon cancelled. That ran into July.
And people think there may be games in june !

 

[Nymzee]

Concerns me the only thread @Keiran posts in on GOT is this one.

 

[Toast]

Wimbledon cancelled. That ran into July.
And people think there may be games in june !

You can play tennis with no fans as well. Hardly anyone watches some games on outside courts at certain tournaments.
Easy enough to social distance for players and line judges as well really.
Still need a doctor on hand though.

 

[number4.]

You can play tennis with no fans as well. Hardly anyone watches some games on outside courts at certain tournaments.
Easy enough to social distance for players and line judges as well really.
Still need a doctor on hand though.

I think there is a question of insurance for alot of these major events, same applies to the Edinburgh festival which was sadly pulled today (that is in late August) there is bound to be some level of cover by pulling now (in agreement with insurers) rather than hanging on hoping for the best while costs (catering, rigging, setup etc) all escalate out of control.

Doesnt really apply to football given the ongoing rather than one off nature of the events, but non the less - football before September; highly highly unlikely

 

[Deleted member 38674]

Concerns me the only thread @Keiran posts in on GOT is this one.

Last 40 posts for you across 9 threads.

Last 40 posts for me across 8 threads.

 

[Nymzee]

Last 40 posts for you across 9 threads.

Last 40 posts for me across 8 threads.

How many posts in this thread for you compared to the other 7?

Edit: Never mind, just noticed all the posts you've made in other threads were made in the last 10 mins.

 

[Tubey]

Last 40 posts for you across 9 threads.

Last 40 posts for me across 8 threads.

Does that include RAWK though?

 

[Deleted member 38674]

Does that include RAWK though?

No, didn’t feel fair to include multiple forums in the calculation.