Coronavirus could prevent Liverpool from winning the Premier League title

[Guest Alex_K]

4 minutes ago, aws said:

Which is no doubt why the Prem bosses have agreed not to refer to voiding the season but to talk about curtailing it. It'll get finished one way or another  unless the crisis takes a big turn for the worse. 

The curtailing amount will be the £790 m (I.e the delta between the total amount broadcasters pay and the remaining 9/10 fixtures)  - it won’t be curtailed either. Those games will be played one way or another, or else they better hope clubs/ the league have got pandemic insurance to the tune of hundreds of millions.

[dockers_strike]

The Premier League are working on an ambitious plan to restart the season behind closed doors on the first weekend of May with a scheduled finish date of Sunday July 12.

The proposals, which will be discussed in detail on a conference call of the 20 clubs on Friday, would need to be endorsed by the Government, public health bodies and the PFA. But they are seen as the best way to mitigate the financial losses and potential legal threats caused by the coronavirus shutdown.

The Premier League's best-case scenario of a May resumption stems largely from their obligations to and financial reliance on broadcasters, who have a watertight £3billion-a-year deal which expires on July 31, with next season's deal kicking in the following day. 

 

The Premier League want to restart the season at the beginning of May and finish it by July 12

 

Sky Sports and other broadcasters could demand as much £762m if the season is not finished

It is understood that under the terms of the TV contracts the cut-off point to finish this season is July 16, and if the campaign is not completed by that date Sky Sports, BT Sport and the international rights-holders could demand rebates totalling as much as £762million.

 

The broadcasters are pushing the Premier League to provide clarity as soon as possible, as they are losing subscribers at a rapid rate and want to know when they can expect their schedules to return to normal.

During informal talks between club executives over the last few days, July 12 has emerged as the optimum finish date, and a restart at the beginning of May would build in the potential for more down-time if individual clubs are hit by more cases of the virus. 

It remains unclear whether such a timetable is realistic, however, given that the deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries warned on Sunday that the country could remain in varying degrees of lockdown for up to six months.

A restart in May is seen as vital as that is when the clubs are due to receive their final tranche of television money for the season, without which many will struggle to pay the players' wages. The £762m of combined income under threat is not divided equally and would range from £57m for the Premier League winners to £20m for the team who finish bottom.

Ironically, the bigger clubs stand to lose more than usual this season if those payments are withheld following last year's changes to the distribution of the overseas television deal, which, unlike the domestic deal, is no longer divided equally but determined by league position

The new plan would see games played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus outbreak

BT Sport are another of the broadcasters who could be in line for a rebate worth millions

The Premier League are aware of the challenges they face in completing the season but until they are told otherwise by the Government that remains their intention. Having suspended the season twice until April 4 and then April 30 they do not want to announce a further delay.

The clubs are also conscious that there may have to be changes in order to finish the season. One of the main topics of conversation between executives recently has been about waiving the rules regarding weakened teams. 

A number of solutions have been mentioned, including increasing squad sizes from 25 to 29 to enable them to cope with more absences due to illness. One club also raised the question of whether they would be permitted to field a youth team.

A more radical idea has been completing the season without promotion and relegation on the grounds that the integrity of the competition is threatened, and there is also no guarantee that the EFL campaign will be completed. 

 

Clubs at the top of the Championship have begun making preparations to take legal action if they are denied promotion, although if the competition is not completed that would weaken their case.

The Premier League will continue to liaise with the Government, who have indicated that they are eager for football to resume in some form as soon as it is not considered a public risk and a drain on resources. 

If given the go-ahead, matches would be staged with a skeleton broadcasting crew, minimal security and no media, although an ambulance presence would be required at the stadium.

One of the problems the league will face is convincing players to return to action after it emerged that they are not insured for coronavirus as it is not listed as a critical illness. A number have sought clarification but are being advised they are not covered.

Many players forgo critical illness cover because it can cost £5,000 per year. But Sportsmail knows of a number who have improved their policies since the outbreak.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-8169229/Premier-League-plan-resume-season-closed-doors-start-MAY.html#comments

[RobbieOR]

That is probably too early but i wouldn't be surprised if its back by late May. I think the government would allow it too. 

[A_S]

So a player is one goal or appearance away from triggering a clause in his contract for either performance-related bonuses or even an extra year added to his contract. The season is then voided, ie the player is effectively denied millions through no fault of his own. 

 

Can he then sue the club for potential lost earnings? Or break from the contract? If that's possible, imagine dozens of such cases of varying degrees and it's another layer to the shitstorm waiting for the higher-ups should the season be cancelled. 

[Pureblood]

3 minutes ago, A_S said:

So a player is one goal or appearance away from triggering a clause in his contract for either performance-related bonuses or even an extra year added to his contract. The season is then voided, ie the player is effectively denied millions through no fault of his own. 

 

Can he then sue the club for potential lost earnings? Or break from the contract? If that's possible, imagine dozens of such cases of varying degrees and it's another layer to the shitstorm waiting for the higher-ups should the season be cancelled. 

The contracts might have a force majeure clause for that kind of thing.  Or some other catch all clause.

[Lee909]

If the lockdown goes on into May I reckon the Government would love to have football back if it can. Multiple games over multiple days. It would keep the masses happy at a time people will be getting more and more restless coupes up. 

 

Still all seems a bit surreal to me overall. I guess as I'm being forced to work through this my routine hasn't changed. It just feels like working over a Xmas break with empty offices etc. 

[Red_or_Dead]

13 hours ago, TheHowieLama said:

Why? 

Why not?

[JohnnyH]

One thing we are seeing is how important sport is in general to peoples need to be able to switch off from the toughness of life and just enjoy something.  Having no sport is making this lockdown infinitely more difficult.  If I'd a match to look forward to tonight I'd be a lot less likely to murder my entire family which I really want to do.

[VladimirIlyich]

Haven't less deaths been predicted? Also,havent they now developed a screening programme that can be done while patients are still alive rather than post mortem previously? Therefore some prospects of normality sooner than later?

[dockers_strike]

2 hours ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Haven't less deaths been predicted? Also,havent they now developed a screening programme that can be done while patients are still alive rather than post mortem previously? Therefore some prospects of normality sooner than later?

An idea of how they model these scenarios.

 

 

[A_S]

I've found it somewhat ironic that people use the 'more important things than football' thing to shut down a Liverpool supporter who dares show frustration at the current situation. It's moral grandstanding and it's pretty fucking annoying, given they themselves are using the pandemic to point score. 

 

The worst part is, it's often on a football-related page, forum or channel! Surely people don't need to repeatedly add that they're only happy for the footy to return once it is safe enough to do so? 

 

Insert 2016 Leicester's out-of the-blue title run into the current pandemic, which has stopped them 2 wins from a miracle league title. I can't imagine there'd be too many people happy to cancel the season then. 

[Bjornebye]

10 minutes ago, A_S said:

I've found it somewhat ironic that people use the 'more important things than football' thing to shut down a Liverpool supporter who dares show frustration at the current situation. It's moral grandstanding and it's pretty fucking annoying, given they themselves are using the pandemic to point score. 

 

The worst part is, it's often on a football-related page, forum or channel! Surely people don't need to repeatedly add that they're only happy for the footy to return once it is safe enough to do so? 

 

Insert 2016 Leicester's out-of the-blue title run into the current pandemic, which has stopped them 2 wins from a miracle league title. I can't imagine there'd be too many people happy to cancel the season then. 

Yeah Everton fans are all of a sudden the voice of humanity. They wouldn’t be saying that if they were 4th or still in the cup though. 

[Jimmy Hills Chin]

If humanity was the purpose behind this agenda,  they would have no interest in whether Liverpool wins the league or not. And yet ...

[Wezza]

If this happens then really the tv companies should make a % if not all of these games available for free.

[Lee909]

4 hours ago, JohnnyH said:

One thing we are seeing is how important sport is in general to peoples need to be able to switch off from the toughness of life and just enjoy something.  Having no sport is making this lockdown infinitely more difficult.  If I'd a match to look forward to tonight I'd be a lot less likely to murder my entire family which I really want to do.

Finding the opposite fir myself. 

 

I've not really missed it and don't really care. I think I'm nearly done with sport to be honest. I'll still watch our games and keep a eye on results but days of weekends ruined over result went in the bin a few years back 

[El Rojo]

5 hours ago, JohnnyH said:

One thing we are seeing is how important sport is in general to peoples need to be able to switch off from the toughness of life and just enjoy something.  Having no sport is making this lockdown infinitely more difficult.  If I'd a match to look forward to tonight I'd be a lot less likely to murder my entire family which I really want to do.

Sport is the most important of the least important stuff. It means absolutely everything and nothing at the same time.

 

Births, deaths, traumas, joys. I could tell you any sporting result that mattered to me around these times going decades back.

 

I’m at the starved stage now where I’m getting emotional at the imminence of that Sunderland documentary’s second season. 

[Babb'sBurstNad]

I've been thinking about watching Fifa matches on Twitch to ease the cold turkey.

[Jairzinho]

1 hour ago, Bjornebye said:

Yeah Everton fans are all of a sudden the voice of humanity. They wouldn’t be saying that if they were 4th or still in the cup though. 

[Leyton388]

2 hours ago, Bjornebye said:

Yeah Everton fans are all of a sudden the voice of humanity. They wouldn’t be saying that if they were 4th or still in the cup though. 

Obviously somewhere in the timeline it skewed into this alternate reality.

 

 

[TheHowieLama]

Olympics have been canceled, that was to run July-Aug.

They are set to cancel Wimbledon, which would be very easy to run without crowds. That is in late June.

 

Not sure it is realistic to think the league will be running in any form before those dates.

 

 

 

[TheDrowningMan]

The league is already 75% done and all relevant players and staff are already in the country. The others would involve flying a lot of people around. Yet I think a July / even early August start is more realistic for European football, with the next campaign starting in October. I can’t see anywhere being ready to host thousands of fans for months, and I can’t see a new season opening up behind closed doors. It’s different to finishing the existing one.

[TheHowieLama]

2 minutes ago, TheDrowningMan said:

 I can’t see a new season opening up behind closed doors. It’s different to finishing the existing one.

How is it different?

[TheHowieLama]

7 hours ago, Red_or_Dead said:

Why not?

Because it is not needed.

[TheDrowningMan]

Interesting to read in the Independent today that the top half of the table remain determined if not desperate to finish, while the dissenters are in the bottom half.

 

My belief is that there’s almost zero chance of a void when Liverpool and Manchester United are against it. Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal make it a complete impossibility. Even if 12 teams wanted to void, it just wouldn’t be put to a vote as long as the clubs that actually contribute to the league in a tangible financial way are against it. Too much leverage from great clubs who could break away and create a competition that effectively kills the PL as a saleable asset.

 

 

[Guest Alex_K]

3 hours ago, Wezza said:

If this happens then really the tv companies should make a % if not all of these games available for free.

Why? Do you want to bankrupt a majority of football clubs? Or do you expect all playing & non-playing staff to work for free also?

Also - and not related to the quote above - why is the line "If Liverpool & Manchester United are against it .." still trotting out as if relevant? The Independent article makes quite clear "95% of English game want 2019-20 season completed". Its a non-issue.