Poll: Complete the season at neutral venues behind closed doors

[alan ball]

Once this goes behind closed doors I’m finished with the game. The sport has always belonged to the working man. It’s about time the fans started to act on their principles and tell those concerned to shove the game right up their backside. The fans come first, and are the ones that should have a choice of how it’s supposed to go.

 

[Jeff Jones]

You can’t award a team a title they didn’t win.

They could say 'We didn't win it, but we would have'. That'd be fair, but they wouldn't say it exactly like that.

 

[carolinablue232]

If they can do it safely, yes. If not, no. I don’t understand people saying it’s a slap in the face to fans or anything to that effect. For a lot of fans, just being able to watch their favorite team or player on tv, whether the prem or something else would be seen as a good thing and a respite from everything going on. As long as playing doesn’t put the players in danger or take medical resources away from those who need them, I have no issue with finding ways to play.

People complaining about fairness, I get it it, but is it fair to clubs who really need the tv money to survive to just stop? Is it fair to the sides currently in promotion places to just say “too bad?”

 

[carolinablue232]

Not a murmur from any other sport about restarting only from the money grabbing Premier League.

Erm, I think the Germans are a few steps ahead...

 

[blue1948]

If they can do it safely, yes. If not, no. I don’t understand people saying it’s a slap in the face to fans or anything to that effect. For a lot of fans, just being able to watch their favorite team or player on tv, whether the prem or something else would be seen as a good thing and a respite from everything going on. As long as playing doesn’t put the players in danger or take medical resources away from those who need them, I have no issue with finding ways to play.

People complaining about fairness, I get it it, but is it fair to clubs who really need the tv money to survive to just stop? Is it fair to the sides currently in promotion places to just say “too bad?”

The "as long as "conditions you put in are the reasons why it shouldn't continue ,no one knows the answers and it will use medical resources so they will be taking those from people who need them .It is a catch 22 .

 

[blue1948]

Not a murmur from any other sport about restarting only from the money grabbing Premier League.

There are others starting such as golf and cricket penciled in soon ,whether they go ahead is another thing .

 

[tadpole]

If this happens, it should be made mandatory for clubs involved to offer pro-rata refunds on season tickets

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

Once this goes behind closed doors I’m finished with the game. The sport has always belonged to the working man. It’s about time the fans started to act on their principles and tell those concerned to shove the game right up their backside. The fans come first, and are the ones that should have a choice of how it’s supposed to go.

Top flight football increasingly been a TV format. It already dubs in crowd noise, and not just to cover up bad behaviours from some fans.

Either pause until safe with little or no closed season before 20-21. Or scrap the entire season. Either means no fans no football.

 

[Chewbacca]

It no longer belongs to the working man. It belongs to casual tv viewers in Indonesia

 

[Joeharper07]

A good article with some good points from the Palace chairman regards playing again , I voted yes in the poll and have commented on here regards the financial implications for all the teams probably besides City and he makes the point too .

- News - Crystal Palace F.C.

www.cpfc.co.uk

 

[Goat]

Top flight football increasingly been a TV format. It already dubs in crowd noise, and not just to cover up bad behaviours from some fans.

Either pause until safe with little or no closed season before 20-21. Or scrap the entire season. Either means no fans no football.

It could be August 2021 until fans are allowed back in stadiums.

By that time there will probably be 4 or 5 clubs left in the whole of the league pyramid.

 

[TheBigIguana]

It could be August 2021 until fans are allowed back in stadiums.

By that time there will probably be 4 or 5 clubs left in the whole of the league pyramid.

It seems to be lost on people that playing without fans isn't greed, it's survival.

 

[Dubai Blue]

My solution for 19/20 and 20/21 football seasons.

Bear with me - as this covers all 4 English League Tiers, European & Domestic cup competitions, Broadcast rights and Club revenue.

PART 1 - Concluding 19/20 Season

• Impossible to complete fairly - Null and Void it. Biggest issue is we started the season in 1 "world" and are ending it in another.

• Distribute prize money based on PPG or current standings. No relegation or promotion.

• For CL/EL/FA Cup and League Cup - share the prize money evenly across all remaining teams in the respective competitions.

• Pay the fine/rebate to broadcasters or agree a 1 season extension to current broadcast rights (however the plan for 20/21 could mean no rebate is necessary).

• PL teams pay pro-rata refunds to season ticket holders for remaining home fixtures not played or club credit for merchandise.

PART 2 - Starting 20/21 Season

• Assume & plan that a full season (38 games 19 H and 19 A) and fans in stadium is not possible from the get go.

• All teams play each other once at a neutral venue to make a 19 game season - This allows buffer time for a late start or disruption from a second wave of lockdown midway through.

• If no/minimal disruption, repeat and complete a second round of games to end with a 38 game season. This only happens if predetermined dates (set before match day 1) to complete 19 games are done on time.

• Regardless of 19 or 38 game season the final league positions decide the title, relegation and CL/EL.

• No domestic cup comps.

• CL/EL starts again with qualified teams that entered 19/20. Scrap the group games and make it all KO from match day 1. All games at neutral venues, no 2nd legs.

• Broadcasting games - all 380 PL games broadcasted on TV. CL/EL too (no change, as they all were anyways) this is more games than agreed in the original contracts with Sky & BT etc so should moot the reason to rebate for unplayed 19/20 season games. No games from Champ/L1 or L2 to be broadcasted.

• Champ/L1 and L2 - in lieu of season ticket & match day revenue - each club sets up exclusive paid subscriptions to watch all their respective matches (H and A) online (this is double the games they would see with a season ticket too).

• Clubs from Chanp/L1/L2 can also increase their sponsorship revenue beyond pitchside/stadium by selling digital ad space to be displayed on the subscription platforms.

• This should help the teams below PL (who traditionally rely on match day income) to earn enough revenue to avoid financial problems.

PART 3 - MISC (just a couple of thoughts)

• PL Player wages need to be looked at by clubs - suggest 30% cut for next season to account for loss of match day revenue.

• Broadcast rights for highlights (e.g. MOTD) remain as is.

 

[Goat]

It seems to be lost on people that playing without fans isn't greed, it's survival.

The "keep football away till its safe" comments are the best.

We aint seeing safe for at least 2 years.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

It could be August 2021 until fans are allowed back in stadiums.

By that time there will probably be 4 or 5 clubs left in the whole of the league pyramid.

Working off the presumption that some sort of normality starts to return from August onwards, this certainly seems to have traction elsewhere, however, we have own unique Government and scientists, so we may well behind the curve...