Football and the Coronavirus

[BaZ87]

It’s not what this says here max prize money €21.3m or £18m and that’s if you win every game you take part in....

This is just the fixed payments that every side receives. There is then the marketpool - the PL having the biggest marketpool due to BT paying more than any other broadcaster. Marketpool payments will vary depending on a number of factors but worst case scenario, with the fixed payments, a PL side will receive €40m from winning the competition.

edit: correction, Chelsea actually ended up getting €46m - again that was with Arsenal also making the final. They would have made more had Arsenal not progressed as far.

UEFA published the exact figures here: https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/competitions/General/02/63/74/66/2637466_DOWNLOAD.pdf

 

[woppy101]

This is just the fixed payments that every side receives. There is then the marketpool - the PL having the biggest marketpool due to BT paying more than any other broadcaster. Marketpool payments will vary depending on a number of factors but worst case scenario, with the fixed payments, a PL side will receive €40m from winning the competition.

edit: correction, Chelsea actually ended up getting €46m - again that was with Arsenal also making the final. They would have made more had Arsenal not progressed as far.

UEFA published the exact figures here: https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/competitions/General/02/63/74/66/2637466_DOWNLOAD.pdf

Fair enough, as said though most premier league clubs have very rich owners that aren’t likely to see there investments go down the pan

 

[BaZ87]

Fair enough, as said though most premier league clubs have very rich owners that aren’t likely to see there investments go down the pan

Nobody said they would see their investments go down the pan. I pointed out that Arsenal, one of the biggest clubs in the League with big cash reserves, face a cash short fall of £50m+ if the season is finished and potentially more than double if the season isn't and they have to repay TV money. This money has to come from somewhere, whether the owners put cash in (no history of Kroenke or Joe Lewis doing this) or from banks - either way it's costing clubs/owners this much money.

 

[woppy101]

Apparently every club is opposed to neutral grounds
https://twitter.com/johncrossmirror/status/1259949818941767680

 

[BaZ87]

Apparently every club is opposed to neutral grounds
https://twitter.com/johncrossmirror/status/1259949818941767680

That's fairly obvious though. No club wants to play at neutral grounds, the question is whether they will end the season if they have to. The Telegraph are reporting that the PL believe clubs will vote for restarting at neutral venues if they have to.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...hief-admits-possibility-season-not-completed/

 

[woppy101]

That's fairly obvious though. No club wants to play at neutral grounds, the question is whether they will end the season if they have to. The Telegraph are reporting that the PL believe clubs will vote for restarting at neutral venues if they have to.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...hief-admits-possibility-season-not-completed/

That’s the only 2 options now, the PL will say you either play at neutral grounds or we end the season on a PPG basis

 

[BaZ87]

That’s the only 2 options now, the PL will say you either play at neutral grounds or we end the season on a PPG basis

No, Richard Masters has confirmed today that he will continue to work with the government to see if all 20 stadiums can be used. If the government say no then there's only 2 options and according to the Telegraph the belief is that a vote to restart at neutral grounds will gain a required majority.

edit: I believe the Mirror article you linked also references the top 6 believing that will happen too, if push comes to shove.

 

[Mark1989]

I personally think it's pathetic if any club is upset about neutral grounds, if anything it's fair as there all in same position

 

[robfosters]

I personally think it's pathetic if any club is upset about neutral grounds, if anything it's fair as there all in same position

Except some teams will have to travel a lot more than others, which can be draining if it’s twice a week or so.

there needs to be a minimum of 2 neutral grounds to be used in London.

 

[Mark1989]

Except some teams will have to travel a lot more than others, which can be draining if it’s twice a week or so.

there needs to be a minimum of 2 neutral grounds to be used in London.

Really? Considering what's going on in the world travel is least of the issues.

Plus London is the worst hit zone in the UK so wouldn't want more than one neutral stadium there anyway.

It's like the debate about clubs moaning about home games there missing out on, excluding finical side it's not a big deal since every team is going to be at a neutral ground

 

[robfosters]

I know it’s very hard to do, but I wonder if the grounds chosen for each fixture will not be revealed until shortly before kickoff to try and avoid the idiots who would undoubtedly travel to the ground.

 

[The_One]

Danny rose in the headlines for saying players dont think they should be going back

premier league and government can want it all they want but if players dont feel safe nothing will be happening

sterlings come out now aswell

https://www.skysports.com/football/...-england-winger-unsure-about-football-restart

 

[robfosters]

Danny rose in the headlines for saying players dont think they should be going back

premier league and government can want it all they want but if players dont feel safe nothing will be happening

sterlings come out now aswell

https://www.skysports.com/football/...-england-winger-unsure-about-football-restart

Yep, players hold the ultimate power in this situation.

Twitterati having a pop at him saying if they have to go back to work, he should. They don’t seem to grasp the fact that their workplaces will very likely be practising social distancing. Can’t do that on a football pitch.

 

[jonneymendoza]

Yep, players hold the ultimate power in this situation.

Twitterati having a pop at him saying if they have to go back to work, he should. They don’t seem to grasp the fact that their workplaces will very likely be practising social distancing. Can’t do that on a football pitch.

And some of these players live with vulnerable parents. Them catching it and then bringing it back home is not good.

Pep guadiola lost his mum out of this, I won't be surprised if it was known that pep was asymptomatic and passed it on!

 

[BaZ87]

Yep, players hold the ultimate power in this situation.

Twitterati having a pop at him saying if they have to go back to work, he should. They don’t seem to grasp the fact that their workplaces will very likely be practising social distancing. Can’t do that on a football pitch.

I assume due to your personal circumstances that you've not been out and about to supermarkets and the like during the last couple of months but surely you're aware that there's still a significant number of people that completely ignore social distancing guidelines? That's before you even consider whether social distancing really is possible in many work places. I've been to local takeaways that have 2 or 3 people working in small cramped spaces where they cannot work while socially distancing. For all the good will in the world, I very much doubt social distancing will be successfully enforced when more businesses open, it certainly hasn't in a lot of businesses that remain open.

Unlike 99% of other workers, footballers are going to be tested 24 hours before they return to training and play matches, isolate for 24 hours before being cleared to train/play. The chances of an infected player or staff member making it onto the training ground or pitch is will be considerably lower than an infected office, factory or shop worker. If this is enough to cancel out the increased risk of spreading the infection through contact sport then football would be safer than other industries. That's the main question that needs answering and I'm sure the PL will be taking private and government advice on this.

Any player that doesn't want to return, if and when it's decided that it is safe, shouldn't be forced to and they are fortunate enough that the majority of them are in a financial position where they can go unpaid if they choose to do so. Joe Public will very much likely not be in that position.

I know it’s very hard to do, but I wonder if the grounds chosen for each fixture will not be revealed until shortly before kickoff to try and avoid the idiots who would undoubtedly travel to the ground.

That has been mentioned but it would be counter productive if teams were still playing in the same City.

 

[robfosters]

I assume due to your personal circumstances that you've not been out and about to supermarkets and the like during the last couple of months but surely you're aware that there's still a significant number of people that completely ignore social distancing guidelines? That's before you even consider whether social distancing really is possible in many work places. I've been to local takeaways that have 2 or 3 people working in small cramped spaces where they cannot work while socially distancing. For all the good will in the world, I very much doubt social distancing will be successfully enforced when more businesses open, it certainly hasn't in a lot of businesses that remain open.

Unlike 99% of other workers, footballers are going to be tested 24 hours before they return to training and play matches, isolate for 24 hours before being cleared to train/play. The chances of an infected player or staff member making it onto the training ground or pitch is will be considerably lower than an infected office, factory or shop worker. If this is enough to cancel out the increased risk of spreading the infection through contact sport then football would be safer than other industries. That's the main question that needs answering and I'm sure the PL will be taking private and government advice on this.

Any player that doesn't want to return, if and when it's decided that it is safe, shouldn't be forced to and they are fortunate enough that the majority of them are in a financial position where they can go unpaid if they choose to do so. Joe Public will very much likely not be in that position.

That has been mentioned but it would be counter productive if teams were still playing in the same City.

Sorry, but I have little faith in the tests. A fellow forum member had a friend test negative four times before dying from it. Hardly inspires confidence does it.

 

[The_One]

Tests dont stop you getting it they just confirm you have it

Players will also be waying up long term effects

lung damage, liver function etc which has been shown as a side effect of recovering from covid19

if they do play it wont be “football” anyway

you ever watched a game with no fans in the stadium? Its lifeless and boring

do you really think the players will be playing properly also?

during a corner do you think defenders are going to be in the attackers faces ready for the ball to be whipped in?

will be a **** show

 

[BaZ87]

Sorry, but I have little faith in the tests. A fellow forum member had a friend test negative four times before dying from it. Hardly inspires confidence does it.

I'm sure there will be exceptions but I think it's safe to say that testing will flag up the vast majority positive tests. What clubs need to calculate is how many will slip through the net, whether that be through bad testing or the small chance a player gets infected while isolating during the 24 hour wait for results and the risk of spreading the virus if those players then make it onto the pitch.

It all sounds very cold and calculated but it has to be. Football needs to know whether they can be at least as safe as other industries before they can return and they need to return if they can. 1000s of peoples jobs depend on it.

Tests dont stop you getting it they just confirm you have it

Correct and if it confirms you have it then you cannot return to training and therefore cannot spread the virus to other players or staff. Also, if a player tests positive it will help prevent them spreading the virus outside of football too. Players currently infected but not knowing will be spreading the virus to their family as we speak.

On the point about long term damage - returning with testing will enable players to make these decisions. There will be players today that are positive that do not know they are and will possibly have the liver and lung damage you mention. If football didn't return for 6 months (for example) they'd return never knowing they were infected and potentially that they have long term health issues. Through returning in the phased process the PL is suggesting then they will find out if that they are infected before even stepping foot on a training ground. It makes perfect sense for the PL to conduct the first round of testing, before players even return to training, to find out just how many players are infected and then go from there.

 

[marl]

There is no easy answer to this dilemma. The longer football's return is delayed, then the more revenue each club will lose. I also saw a headline on the BBC Sports page that the Premier League may have to repay Broadcasters a minimum of £340 million regardless of whether or not the League resumes.

There is so much vested self-interest in football that I can't envisage a solution that will satisfy all parties. I'm not saying they should put themselves at risk by returning to work, but if you include the NHS, care workers, shop workers and so on I'd say there are millions of people still working, (and have worked right through this), who have subjected themselves to far more risk with much less support than is being offered to these guys!

As I said, I'm not saying they should return, but if their Clubs revenue streams diminish I wonder how many of the pro's will accept a pay cut!

 

[Stumble Bum]

If certain footballers don't want to play then they can sit out and not play and forfeit any salary as well. See how many of these players all of a sudden have a change of mind. Let everyone else who is willing to play, play. Simples.