[Football] Premier League admits fans may not be allowed to return for a year

The Premier League has said fans may not be able to return to matches for a year, even if its Project Restart is successful."

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TomandJerry said:

The Premier League has said fans may not be able to return to matches for a year, even if its Project Restart is successful."

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Not really news - think that's been a known situation since this all kicked off...........and it's very much 'may'............full story and quote for context ('6 to 12 months' for example - 6 months could mean the start of next season...if it starts)

The Premier League has said fans may not be able to return to matches for a year, even if its Project Restart is successful.

Another step towards the resumption of the 2019-20 season was approved by the league’s 20 clubs on Monday as they unanimously voted through a medical protocol that will allow players to resume training from Tuesday afternoon, albeit with physical distancing.

A second, crucial protocol on contact training is set to be put to clubs in a pair of meetings next week. The third stage would see matches resume behind closed doors. The league said it would send inspectors to training grounds to ensure the protocols were followed.

The date of any first fixture looks to have been pushed back, perhaps to the end of June, which would mean a mid-August finish, but following the successful Bundesliga relaunch this past weekend Premier League plans are gathering pace.


Whenever matches resume, however, fans will still be missing from grounds for some time afterwards, according to the league’s medical adviser Mark Gillett, who has been involved in talks with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
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“I’ve sat on the DCMS group [directing the return of elite sport] with a very high level of medical input from Public Health England and the chief medical officer’s department,” he said. “They’ve made it very clear that the social situation, the public health situation is not going to change over the next six to 12 months. It is important that people understand that.”

Asked to confirm that the league expects fans to be missing next season, the league’s chief executive, Richard Masters, said: “We have to plan for all eventualities.”

Monday’s shareholders’ meeting saw agreement on a plan in which “safety in the working environment” was key, according to Gillett. It would allow players to return to training in small groups but they would be forced to maintain physical distancing at all times. Their cars would be parked three bays apart and nutritional supplements left by the driver’s door for collection. Communal areas at training grounds would be closed off and showers forbidden. Training sessions would be limited to 75 minutes maximum.

These measures were the easy part. The difficulties begin with contact training and Masters confirmed that a frantic period will follow in which drafts for a second set of protocols will be completed, shared with players and managers then debated and likely voted on by clubs.

“We haven’t talked to the players or even to the clubs yet about a return to contact training, in terms of the fine details of protocols,” he said. “We’re anticipating we can do that in the next week to 10 days.”

Steps are being taken to make sure clubs do not breach the guidelines. Richard Garlick, the league’s director of football, said an “independent audit inspection team” would visit on a “no-notice basis” and added: “Gradually, we aim to ramp that up so we can have an inspector at every training ground. That will enable us to give confidence the protocols are being complied with.”

Regarding concerns over the greater risks posed to black, Asian and minority ethnic players from Covid-19, Gillett said the league would be monitoring the situation. “We will do everything we can to mitigate against it … as more information becomes available,” he said. “But the risk in young fit athletes is still very small and I think that is an important factor.”

Should contact training be approved, work would move in short order to a third stage: the matches themselves. Gillett admitted that current Public Health England advice could require players to enter quarantine 14 days before any match. Masters, meanwhile, confirmed that discussions were continuing with police and government over venues, but noted that there were no problems caused by fans outside Bundesliga grounds.

“It was a good start,” Masters said of German football’s return and the Premier League was watching closely. Masters said they have plans to deliver a different television product, though, with a working group generating ideas for how to create an atmosphere despite the empty grounds.

Even though any resumption will be on TV, clubs look set to pay broadcasters a rebate on their fees, despite many being against it. “They appreciate the situation football finds itself in,” Masters said of Sky and BT. “We also appreciate the situation that they are faced with as well.”

Masters was less conciliatory on the future of the football pyramid. The EFL has called on the Premier League to provide a financial rescue package for stricken lower-league clubs, a call apparently backed by government last week. But Masters, faced with his own financial crisis, did not offer his colleagues much hope of a bailout.

Bundesliga's quiet return hints at a silent threat to home advantage

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“If we are able to play our games and securely start season 2020-21 then we will have hopefully managed to some extent the financial issues facing the Premier League,” he said. “But there will still be significant losses in terms of central revenue and to Premier League clubs because of the loss of match-day revenue. So it’s a complicated situation, but we want to continue to support the EFL and make good our community commitments.”

He also expressed his hope that Liverpool can have a trophy presentation if the completion of the season results in their first title in 30 years. “If it is at all possible, yes [we will hold one],” Masters said. “We would like to have a trophy presentation to give the players and staff the moment they have worked so hard for.”

Was this mentioned in the Zoom meeting on Monday

"successful Bundesliga relaunch..."
Really? I thought it was awful.

Brok said:

"successful Bundesliga relaunch..."
Really? I thought it was awful.

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Me too, it lacked one of the most important aspects of a match day.....

Atmosphere....

It was boring, a season of that and I think I’d lose interest very quickly

Not exactly surprising.

Again, the media coverage makes me laugh a bit, that they feel the need to sensationalise it. The same as when they announce the jobless figures or drop in output during lockdown as if it's a big surprise!

****ing Chinese.

Brok said:

"successful Bundesliga relaunch..."
Really? I thought it was awful.

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I'm sorry to hear they didn't consult you for your views.

Brok said:

"successful Bundesliga relaunch..."
Really? I thought it was awful.

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'Successful' as in 'the games got played, nothing went wrong and we don't think anyone got infected, so we can potentially still get the ££££ we want'

Brok said:

"successful Bundesliga relaunch..."
Really? I thought it was awful.

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I confess I got quite excited when Viktor Gyokeres cut inside and smashed the winner for St Pauli.

But I am a self-confessed footie tragic and would probably be watching the Bundesliga in normal times.


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That sure is a morale boost!

What did the comment mean about a threat to home advantage. It made absolutely no sense.

Badger Boy said:

I'm sorry to hear they didn't consult you for your views.

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So am I.

I’m not smart enough to work out the capacity of a social distanced Amex but I’m assuming that every other row would be used with a gap of perhaps two seats between each person.

I’m guessing it could operate at around 8,000.

Better get my golf game improved as going to be my main interest for the foreseeable.

Hugo Rune said:

I’m not smart enough to work out the capacity of a social distanced Amex but I’m assuming that every other row would be used with a gap of perhaps two seats between each person.

I’m guessing it could operate at around 8,000.

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Can't do it as people are forever going out to get a drink and then later on pee. It's maddening when some of us want to watch footie! Not to mention arriving and leaving. It's impossible.

Hugo Rune said:

I’m not smart enough to work out the capacity of a social distanced Amex but I’m assuming that every other row would be used with a gap of perhaps two seats between each person.

I’m guessing it could operate at around 8,000.

Click to expand...

So the palace fans were right.


Still at least we have been in our new stands.
Gotta feel for palace fans, they have their whole new stand built but can't go in, so frustrating.

Hugo Rune said:

I’m not smart enough to work out the capacity of a social distanced Amex but I’m assuming that every other row would be used with a gap of perhaps two seats between each person.

I’m guessing it could operate at around 8,000.

Click to expand...

I can't imagine it would be economically viable to open the stadium for gates of 8'000.

Hugo Rune said:

I’m not smart enough to work out the capacity of a social distanced Amex but I’m assuming that every other row would be used with a gap of perhaps two seats between each person.

I’m guessing it could operate at around 8,000.

Click to expand...

The issue isn’t so much fans in their seats watching the game. All evidence to date suggests the chances of catching the virus outdoors are quite slim in most settings.

The issue comes with transport to and from the game, concourses and toilets, given the nature of football is that most people want to make use of these at the same time.

Indoors is where virus transmission really becomes an issue.

Brok said:

"successful Bundesliga relaunch..."
Really? I thought it was awful.

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Don’t disagree (and I don’t know if you do) but how much was that down to not supporting anyone?

On the actual idea on the post. - this will be another personal choice thing I imagine.