Post by rickyqpr on Mar 14, 2020 11:34:04 GMT
Like I said on another thread, when you work through the various scenarios, you tend to conclude that from a business point of view, a Pandemic is a problem without a solution because all roads lead to frustration.
But there does have to be an agreed way forward.
Football is sadly all about money and which ever way you look there is a problem. There are options, but there are so many vested interests facing financial loss and then demands for refunds.
1) TV Money – huge and already factored into the cashflow of clubs.
2) Sky /BT Subscriptions predicated on x number of available games. Possible fall in subscriber numbers / consumers unhappy.
3) Sponsorship – at all ends: TV, Shirts, Events / Matchday
4) Financial Fair Play calculations
5) Season Tickets holders
6) Gate Money
7) Loss of cashflow leading to financial hardship / increased borrowings
8) League vs Cup vs Europe vs International demands / priorities
9) Support activities: Catering, Hospitality, Transport / Staff etc.
10) Players contracts / availability beyond 30th June / appearance money
And no doubt many, many more.
No matter which option is ultimately adopted, it will probably be impossible to square the circle of that lot!
Options -
a) I think you can discount a Pools Panel outcome because the legal challenges / vested interest claim would be huge. And so subjective anyway.
b) If you cancel the remainder of the season, the compensation for the above would run and run – with good legal redress as many of the contracts could be deemed ‘frustrated’. If you assumed the current positions and just played the play-offs as now, then again that could be deemed unfair, especially in the 3rd tier where clubs have played variable number of games due to the Bury cancellations. Relegation from the Prem will cost the bottom 3 huge sums of money, when the previous weekend it would have been different clubs.
c) Trying to complete the season, some-how, obviously provides the greatest relief, but not entirely. The FA Cup may end up compromised at enormous cost, Internationals postponed by a year, and play-offs could be streamlined. It is also possible that initial games may commence behind closed doors, but again run down the list above and it is still quite a shortfall.
d) This season could be completed in August with a much delayed start to the following season. Perhaps Cup competitions could be cancelled for the 20/21 season, or perhaps clubs could play each other only once for that season. But again, look at the checklist – nothing but problems.
e) The National Leaguer is continuing to play on for the time being and that is in line with Pandemic planning that we should continue with normal routine for as long as possible and safe. Had the EFL decided to do that for this week, I wonder what the attendances would have been like. But when the time comes to close the stadiums, the National league hope to complete their season behind closed doors. Be interesting to see how that one develops.
So just like my own personal experience of trying to find a way through, it is a huge challenge and we can not lose sight of the risks, welfare and hardship of all the personnel involved.
What do I think?
1) When it is clearer about the likely timescale just what we are looking at, I think the financial imperative will start to overtake the human welfare considerations and compromises will be worked on.
2) TV companies will be asked to televise more games – possibly on terrestrial TV to mitigate those unable to get to games.
3) Games will be scheduled for every 3 days to compete the schedule.
4) The PFA will be approached to see if player contracts can be extended on a week by week basis if we run past June 30th.
5) FFP scrutiny will be suspended and financial support made available from the FA / Banking.
6) The FA Cup Final will be the showcase game for the start of the following season.
7) The 20/21 season may start later than usual and at least one cup competition cancelled for the that season.
8) International competitions will be postponed for a year.
It just depends on how long this goes on. But hey, what do I know? Knowing the power of Sky and the incompetence that governs our game, anything could transpire.
Anyone any other thoughts?
But there does have to be an agreed way forward.
Football is sadly all about money and which ever way you look there is a problem. There are options, but there are so many vested interests facing financial loss and then demands for refunds.
1) TV Money – huge and already factored into the cashflow of clubs.
2) Sky /BT Subscriptions predicated on x number of available games. Possible fall in subscriber numbers / consumers unhappy.
3) Sponsorship – at all ends: TV, Shirts, Events / Matchday
4) Financial Fair Play calculations
5) Season Tickets holders
6) Gate Money
7) Loss of cashflow leading to financial hardship / increased borrowings
8) League vs Cup vs Europe vs International demands / priorities
9) Support activities: Catering, Hospitality, Transport / Staff etc.
10) Players contracts / availability beyond 30th June / appearance money
And no doubt many, many more.
No matter which option is ultimately adopted, it will probably be impossible to square the circle of that lot!
Options -
a) I think you can discount a Pools Panel outcome because the legal challenges / vested interest claim would be huge. And so subjective anyway.
b) If you cancel the remainder of the season, the compensation for the above would run and run – with good legal redress as many of the contracts could be deemed ‘frustrated’. If you assumed the current positions and just played the play-offs as now, then again that could be deemed unfair, especially in the 3rd tier where clubs have played variable number of games due to the Bury cancellations. Relegation from the Prem will cost the bottom 3 huge sums of money, when the previous weekend it would have been different clubs.
c) Trying to complete the season, some-how, obviously provides the greatest relief, but not entirely. The FA Cup may end up compromised at enormous cost, Internationals postponed by a year, and play-offs could be streamlined. It is also possible that initial games may commence behind closed doors, but again run down the list above and it is still quite a shortfall.
d) This season could be completed in August with a much delayed start to the following season. Perhaps Cup competitions could be cancelled for the 20/21 season, or perhaps clubs could play each other only once for that season. But again, look at the checklist – nothing but problems.
e) The National Leaguer is continuing to play on for the time being and that is in line with Pandemic planning that we should continue with normal routine for as long as possible and safe. Had the EFL decided to do that for this week, I wonder what the attendances would have been like. But when the time comes to close the stadiums, the National league hope to complete their season behind closed doors. Be interesting to see how that one develops.
So just like my own personal experience of trying to find a way through, it is a huge challenge and we can not lose sight of the risks, welfare and hardship of all the personnel involved.
What do I think?
1) When it is clearer about the likely timescale just what we are looking at, I think the financial imperative will start to overtake the human welfare considerations and compromises will be worked on.
2) TV companies will be asked to televise more games – possibly on terrestrial TV to mitigate those unable to get to games.
3) Games will be scheduled for every 3 days to compete the schedule.
4) The PFA will be approached to see if player contracts can be extended on a week by week basis if we run past June 30th.
5) FFP scrutiny will be suspended and financial support made available from the FA / Banking.
6) The FA Cup Final will be the showcase game for the start of the following season.
7) The 20/21 season may start later than usual and at least one cup competition cancelled for the that season.
8) International competitions will be postponed for a year.
It just depends on how long this goes on. But hey, what do I know? Knowing the power of Sky and the incompetence that governs our game, anything could transpire.
Anyone any other thoughts?