Football and the Coronavirus

BaZ87 · 17 Mar 2020 at 19:58

To add to the above, they've also said there is a commitment to complete all domestic Leagues by the end of June however their statement goes on to say that CL and EL qualifers could be moved if domestic Leagues are not completed by the end of June.

And for anybody with a Sky Sports sub, Sky have announced that you can pause your subscription free of charge.

omnomnom · 17 Mar 2020 at 20:13

BaZ87 said:
To add to the above, they've also said there is a commitment to complete all domestic Leagues by the end of June however their statement goes on to say that CL and EL qualifers could be moved if domestic Leagues are not completed by the end of June.

And for anybody with a Sky Sports sub, Sky have announced that you can pause your subscription free of charge.

I hate sky and Murdoch but this is great by them to be fair. It all helps if moneys tight.

robfosters · 17 Mar 2020 at 20:26

BaZ87 said:
To add to the above, they've also said there is a commitment to complete all domestic Leagues by the end of June however their statement goes on to say that CL and EL qualifers could be moved if domestic Leagues are not completed by the end of June.

And for anybody with a Sky Sports sub, Sky have announced that you can pause your subscription free of charge.

Any news on what BT sport are doing?

Darkpassenger · 17 Mar 2020 at 20:33

robfosters said:
Any news on what BT sport are doing?

That's what I want to know..

robfosters · 17 Mar 2020 at 20:34

They can’t even argue that they show other sports anymore as everything’s been kyboshed

BaZ87 · 17 Mar 2020 at 20:34

No annoucement yet but I'm sure they'll follow suit.

rebel rebel · 17 Mar 2020 at 21:30

I wonder if the government will intervene and take the decision away from the league and clubs.

BaZ87 · 17 Mar 2020 at 21:37

rebel rebel said:
I wonder if the government will intervene and take the decision away from the league and clubs.

The government will end the season? :confused:

The government may decide when football can resume, certainly with fans in attendance, however they can't and won't determine when the season will end. Today's UEFA statement has raised the possibility of League's going beyond June 30 which was initially the cut off point with issues around contracts and formally the beginning of next season. How far beyond June 30 they'd be prepared to go is anyone's guess though.

rebel rebel · 17 Mar 2020 at 21:47

What's confusing about the government stepping in? Like they are currently doing to thousands of businesses in the country. Telling people to stay in, probably bailing out the airline companies.. Its not that much of a stretch to say everything's cancelled until September.

chroniclard · 17 Mar 2020 at 21:48

Give it a month or two, play behind closed doors could have it wrapped up by July.

BaZ87 · 17 Mar 2020 at 21:50

rebel rebel said:
What's confusing about the government stepping in? Like they are currently doing to thousands of businesses in the country. Telling people to stay in, probably bailing out the airline companies.. Its not that much of a stretch to say everything's cancelled until September.

The government can't tell Football Leagues when their League's end, that's what is confusing. The government have, in effect, shut down football from being played by removing emergency services however that won't last forever and at some point, who knows when, we'll be playing again. Whether it will still be this season or next season is the unknown but won't be determined by the government.

rebel rebel · 17 Mar 2020 at 21:56

I would imagine in times of crisis like these the government can exercise all manner of laws and rules.

BaZ87 · 17 Mar 2020 at 22:03

rebel rebel said:
I would imagine in times of crisis like these the government can exercise all manner of laws and rules.

This is mad. Why on earth would the government decide on the end and beginning of a new football season?

The government can decide on if and when we're allowed outside, when games can be played and if crowds will be allowed but they cannot and will not tell football leagues that they have to end the current season and start the next season. That is bonkers.

Anyway, with the Euros now scheduled for June next summer I'd imagine the very latest this season would need to be finished would be by the end of August to allow time for next season to be played. Although who knows what might happen if we're not even playing again by August time. It might reach a stage when there's not enough time to complete next seson by next summer and next season is scrapped or the entire football calendar is changed.

rebel rebel · 17 Mar 2020 at 22:12

Because of law suits, say some matches get played and then some players come down with the virus. I cannot see a way where all games are played. The championship has 9 games to play, plus play offs, and teams down to 13th place have a chance of reaching them. If it's called now that's unfair, if its played to completion who knows when that will be. TV companies threatening breach of contract, players contracts running out. The fact that more people are dying everyday.

Only a vaccine can sort out this mess.

Andybtsn · 17 Mar 2020 at 22:28

There's probably more chance of them sacking off next season and allowing this one to finish than ending it altogether, that would be ridiculous.

BaZ87 · 17 Mar 2020 at 22:36

Until there's more clarity over when sport can start again then everything is up in the air. Nobody will want to miss out on games, whether that be this season or next season though and they'll do whatever they can to finish the season off, potentially scrapping winter breaks, the remainder of this seasons FA Cup and who knows, if the calendar starts getting tight then they might even cancel next seasons FA and League Cup too.

rebel rebel said:
Because of law suits, say some matches get played and then some players come down with the virus. I cannot see a way where all games are played. The championship has 9 games to play, plus play offs, and teams down to 13th place have a chance of reaching them. If it's called now that's unfair, if its played to completion who knows when that will be. TV companies threatening breach of contract, players contracts running out. The fact that more people are dying everyday.

Only a vaccine can sort out this mess.

None of that has anything to do with the government. Again, all they can do is decide whether football is allowed to be played. It is entirely down to the League's as to when they end this current season.

jonneymendoza · 17 Mar 2020 at 22:43

Enjoy playing fifa instead lads

rebel rebel · 17 Mar 2020 at 22:48

Why would they scrap the FA Cup but not the league? Thats ridiculous. It either all gets going again within a reasonable timeframe or it gets voided.

The government has paused mortgages and is talking about no utility bills, all of which involve privately owned companies. But doesn't have the power to scrap a season of football, where 22 players plus subs, coaches, managers, physics, refs etc. are all coming into close proximity to each other. They could quite easily say no team sports until next year.

BaZ87 · 17 Mar 2020 at 22:57

rebel rebel said:
Why would they scrap the FA Cup but not the league? Thats ridiculous. It either all gets going again within a reasonable timeframe or it gets voided.

The government has paused mortgages and is talking about no utility bills, all of which involve privately owned companies. But doesn't have the power to scrap a season of football, where 22 players plus subs, coaches, managers, physics, refs etc. are all coming into close proximity to each other. They could quite easily say no team sports until next year.

Omg this is getting painful. Yes, they can say no sports until next year, they could even say no sports for 10 years, that does not mean that this current season won't be concluded in 10 years time. You're failing to see the difference between the government determining if and when the competition can resume and what is classed as this season and next season. The government will not take the decision to end this current season, that decision will be made by the League.

And why would you scrap the FA Cup as opposed to the League? There's about 3 billion reasons why. If you have limited time to complete this season and or potentially next season then the League and FA Cup are far less important than the Leagues.

rebel rebel · 17 Mar 2020 at 23:23

Haha why is this getting painful? This whole thread is mostly conjecture.

Come on now, 10 years? If it's not done by September it's over. And why is the league more important than the oldest cup competition in football? Just 7 matches left, I reckon it's got more chance of reaching a conclusion than the 4 leagues hundreds of games. Could be a nice way to bring the season to an end.