Club Statement: Coronavirus

[number4.]

So you’re now saying the Olympics should be moved again because of the football season?

Give your head a wobble

Football irrelevant to timing of the Olympics; the only schedule they will need to avoid is NFL and NBA playoffs - NBC is the Golden Goose for the Olympics - they pay over 50% of the global tv revenue and they are two clashes that will be avoided at all costs.

 

[MikeH72]

Nobody knows the current reality, the brightest minds aren't sure what the next 3, 6, 9 or 12 months will look like so you and I aren't likely to know.

Sure, the next season could easily run beyond May. The Euros and the Olympics have been bumped 12 months along once, they can be shuffled along a bit further to accommodate the broadcasters contractual obligations.

The Euros and Olympics are not being moved back again so your team can lift a trophy and have a parade, formerly banned poster Cookachoo.

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

Football irrelevant to timing of the Olympics; the only schedule they will need to avoid is NFL and NBA playoffs - NBC is the Golden Goose for the Olympics - they pay over 50% of the global tv revenue and they are two clashes that will be avoided at all costs.

That’s simply not true. The Euros can’t clash with the Olympics due to the demands of the TV and Sponsorship deals.

 

[catcherintherye]

Regarding 1, I would hope clubs would make financial arrangements this Friday to help "soften" this which I am sure all clubs agree despite Tottenham and Newcastle and PFA's negativity.

On 2) Again I think the power is always with the League to a degree and the power struggle will be flexible due to huge impact and influence.

Premier League fears rising as multi-billion pound house of cards begins to fall

Football's house of cards is in danger of collapsing with TV deals in Europe falling apart and the Premier League increasingly desperate to fulfill its £750million obligation

www.google.com

French TV collapse sparks fears similar could happen in the Premier League

It could have an impact across English football as a whole

www.google.com

Sky and BT will not like to be seen to be forcing clubs into this season completion because one player can shut it down due to the huge health risk.

Yes fair points. However if we are to look at it logically, if TV companies are going to ask for money back, they will ask for more money back if more games are lost.

 

[matty1878]

The league next season can’t run beyond May due to the Euros. Which have to complete before the start of the Olympics in July, as there can’t be overlap due to the contractual conditions of sponsors and TV.

So your entire argument is moot, and utterly pointless in terms of the current reality.

yep. It’s driving me nuts the two on here with a complete agenda

. And we’re have you been mate?

 

[catcherintherye]

You are completely right catcher & everything mentioned above is far far more important & will all happen before football is restarted in whatever form; my point is sport return will be a landmark moment in "life getting back to normal"

I posted yesterday about how I think it is OK to care about two things concurrently & people should not feel guilty about caring about football during a pandemic; it doesnt meant you care less about the pandemic because you care about what next for football

Thats fair enough, but the line is drawn when you are deliberately contradicting scientific and government advise to try and get what you want.

Johnson said we'd be fighting it until Mid June. There are representatives from one club that know, if we follow the rulings on safety given to us, the season will end up being cancelled, so are going about on all sorts of ways to try and get us set up to play again when it's not safe.

 

[SpongeBob brown shoes]

Nobody knows the current reality, the brightest minds aren't sure what the next 3, 6, 9 or 12 months will look like so you and I aren't likely to know.

Sure, the next season could easily run beyond May. The Euros and the Olympics have been bumped 12 months along once, they can be shuffled along a bit further to accommodate the broadcasters contractual obligations.

The Euros and Olympics have been moved once, exactly, not a chance they get shuffled along a bit now unless pandemic or war

 

[number4.]

The Euros and Olympics are not being moved back again so your team can lift a trophy and have a parade, formerly banned poster Cookachoo.

9 days ago the Olympics was not being moved, yesterday UEFA effectively agreed to move the 20/21 club seasons across Europe. There will inevitably be more changes as rescheduling develops and clarity starts to appear

 

[number4.]

Thats fair enough, but the line is drawn when you are deliberately contradicting scientific and government advise to try and get what you want.

Johnson said we'd be fighting it until Mid June. There are representatives from one club that know, if we follow the rulings on safety given to us, the season will end up being cancelled, so are going about on all sorts of ways to try and get us set up to play again when it's not safe.

1000% - I cannot see any of these walled camps happening or even given any serious consideration. Firmly believe that was kited as part of a process of "at least we explored the options" before voiding

 

[mightymoyes]

9 days ago the Olympics was not being moved, yesterday UEFA effectively agreed to move the 20/21 club seasons across Europe. There will inevitably be more changes as rescheduling develops and clarity starts to appear

the euros and Olympics will not be moving dates again due this current situation, guaranteed

 

[catcherintherye]

Couple of questions based on this answer.

An October - July season is just as long as an August - May one so why would it involve squashing games?

What evidence is there that people would not like a season that does not run August - May?

All civil discussion, mate. I've enjoyed the debate and agree with some of your points, disagree with others.

For what it's worth, I didn't at any point argue that Russia or the Scandinavian leagues were as popular as the Premier League.

The onus is surely on you to substantiate the point that changing the schedule would be just as popular. I don't see any evidence for this whatsoever. I've never heard a single fan say they wanted it. When it's been mooted for the World Cup it has been roundly unpopular. No academic study has shown it would be beneficial. No market engagement tests have shown it yo be popular. In fact the leagues that have adopted that schedule are demonstrably less popular than the leagues that operate to our schedule, and each year that goes by they become more unpopular too.

I would say, as far as I can get it, that it is overwhelming evidence that people like the season as it is, and that we don't want to change.

I do accept that cancelling the season is not ideal. I also accept, we are in the lesser of two evils territory, and can completely understand someone saying the principle of cancelling a season is a greater evil than the evil of restructuring seasons. However what I can't have is that we paint any of the above as a net neutral, or even a positive. Thats a disingenuous framing of the debate. Just as me going "there's no evidence to say that cancel the season would be a bad thing" would be laughed out of town.

I'd also add, I accept that in an abstract sense maybe moving the season works. However there needs to be a proper consultation process done on this, academic study, fan engagement, questions about suitability of stadium, physical studies on athletes etc. There needs to be engagements with sponsors, with TV companies, with other stakeholders to see what they want. This process takes a lot of time.

To me it's dangerous just bouncing into this without doing any of the necessary engagement, especially at a time of a pandemic and also a time where we will be facing an acute financial crisis in the game. It will distort results.

I appreciate the discussion has been civil. However I think using phraseology such as "unreasonable" or making needless moral judgements about answers that have been provided to you, when you have asked for answers is not a great way to hold a debate. Whatever your personal opinion of the points raised, there has to be an acceptance that objectively there are problems that exist in (for example) moving seasons.

 

[catcherintherye]

1000% - I cannot see any of these walled camps happening or even given any serious consideration. Firmly believe that was kited as part of a process of "at least we explored the options" before voiding

I think those camps, and behind closed doors are firmly knocked on the head now. What I took from yesterdays statement was that there's no talk of wacky behind closed doors, training camp schemes, and secondly there was no commitment to extend the season indefinitely. Later in the day an FA stated a deadline has been given (though understandably UEFA have been cautious on this, in part to try to prevent panic).

What this tells me, that the ridiculous articles about behind closed doors are clearly being leaked to the press from certain clubs. Whoever is doing that really needs to stop. Above anything else, it is a highly contradictory message of the NHS and that is really not what is needed at this point. Football clubs should be trying to do good, and re-enforcing the NHS's message.

All the time we have measures, we won't be playing football.

 

[mccole]

Yes fair points. However if we are to look at it logically, if TV companies are going to ask for money back, they will ask for more money back if more games are lost.

True but if they start using Force Majeure which is around £750m or £37.5m each club to void the league it could bankrupt or harm the league to the brink of collapse for some clubs.

On a purely PA exercise, if Sky or BT did this the commercial impact would be horrific and any future deals as the deal ends in 2022 would heavily go against them in future negotiations.

I think Force Majeure will be accessed soon but before The League, PFA and UEFA will have to come to an arrangement to support the decision and then negotiate on repay could be added to a future deal or Premier League prize money/accounts.

 

[number4.]

That’s simply not true. The Euros can’t clash with the Olympics due to the demands of the TV and Sponsorship deals.

for perspective, 73% of Global TV spend (Broadcast rights bidding) on the Summer Olympics comes from the US, with NBC paying almost 50% of that total. They dictate the schedule, not Europe. One of the biggest concession in Japan getting the olympics was it being summer, not September, as originally proposed due to NFL.

Don't get me wrong, they will avoid clashing with the Euro's if possible, but if they have to chose between that and the NFL there is no decision to be made.

 

[number4.]

I think those camps, and behind closed doors are firmly knocked on the head now. What I took from yesterdays statement was that there's no talk of wacky behind closed doors, training camp schemes, and secondly there was no commitment to extend the season indefinitely. Later in the day an FA stated a deadline has been given (though understandably UEFA have been cautious on this, in part to try to prevent panic).

What this tells me, that the ridiculous articles about behind closed doors are clearly being leaked to the press from certain clubs. Whoever is doing that really needs to stop. Above anything else, it is a highly contradictory message of the NHS and that is really not what is needed at this point. Football clubs should be trying to do good, and re-enforcing the NHS's message.

All the time we have measures, we won't be playing football.

Probably - I do wonder about the scenario where say gatherings of up to 5,000 people is permitted, but no more. If that pans out do the PL sit on their hands til they have full clearance or play behind closed doors. Im guessing the TV companies would push for behind closed doors.