Topic: The Impact of COVID 19 on Sport...

[Alan_X]

This is a thread for discussing the potential impact of the virus on The Champions League, The Premier League, International tournaments etc.

Please don't post in the COVID 19 thread or the Chasing the Title threads. I'll split and move some posts across.

Thanks.

[The North Bank]

Spreading the euros across many countries in Europe has been a well timed disaster.

[BobPaisley3]

Spreading the euros across many countries in Europe has been a well timed disaster.

Couldn’t have come at a worse time. Also, spreading the champions league last 16 over five weeks is stupid, could have been finishing the quarter finals about now.

[cheesemason]

Spreading the euros across many countries in Europe has been a well timed disaster.

There's an alternative argument that it could be a good thing. If the Euros gets cancelled now, not one country or economy gets hit too badly. If it had been in one country, then the effects on them would have been a lot worse. Should make it easier to cancel in my eyes, but this is UEFA we are talking about, so who knows

[Fiasco]

Hopefully we'll mathematically have the title wrapped up before things get disrupted to the point where a postponement/voiding of the league happens. I think if measures need to be taken before the league is officially won then we would be awarded the title anyway, sort of vaguely on a Duckworth Lewis premise. I personally think the FA will be wary as not to drop a massive clanger; we are one of the two biggest clubs in the league who represent the brand worldwide and I think they'll know what side their bread is buttered in regards to telling us that what we've achieved counts for nothing.

There is no precedent for this kind of thing but in other sport teams and individuals can be declared winners/champions in the case of a truncated event. Traditionally, golf tournaments last 4 days. They start on Thursday and finish Sunday. Occasionally though the leader after 54 holes (3 rounds played) is declared the winner when the tournament hasn't been able to finish due to bad weather. In boxing, if the fight has gone more than 4 rounds and a fighter suffers and injury or a bad cut and can't continue then the scorecards are used and the winner is determined that way. Whoever is ahead when the fight is stopped is declared the winner, but the fight must go 4 rounds otherwise it is a no contest.

Football isn't other sports and a league season is obviously much longer than a boxing fight or a golf tournament that lasts the weekend. But the idea that now, with us needing just 2 wins, the league could be called null and void is incredibly insulting and downright wrong. If that happens then the FA might well have started the ball rolling in regards to the proposed Super League, and I doubt for one second our owners would give a fuck about them. This is unchartered territory but given that we'd need to be Jean van de Velde riding Devon Loch to lose this title, I can't fathom the idea that it would all mean nothing.

[RedSamba]

Roma not travelling to Sevilla

[I've been a good boy]

Saw suggestions on here they'll cancel the season and have a play-off between us and City for the title. No way that happens, the very idea of it is ridiculous. It would affect absolutely everyone, in all the leagues. Do people really think United would settle for a Europe League place? Or that Bournemouth would happily accept relegation when they're level on points with the two teams above them? The sensible thing to do would be to move the Euros next year and extend the season but I'm not sure UEFA really care about the virus, money comes first for them.

Also, the fact that Atletico fans are travelling here is ridiculous. Our game should be behind closed doors and they should be told to fuck off back to Madrid. The club advising fans not to travel, AFTER most of them have already travelled is so stupid I can't even comprehend.

[killer-heels]

Atletico have disgracefully advised fans today not to travel fully knowing its far too late. They have deliberately decided to endanger our fans for their own selfish wish to progress.

[Barneylfc∗]

Atletico have disgracefully advised fans today not to travel fully knowing its far too late. They have deliberately decided to endanger our fans for their own selfish wish to progress.

Any proof of this?

[kaesarsosei]

My take is that there is absolutely zero chance that all of the following get completed as planned this year:

Premier League/Other Leagues
Champions League
Euros
Olympics

The Olympics is its own thing and to be honest I don't care too much (it should just be moved back a year). To me the least-worst solution for the football issues is to put the Euros back a year, immediately instigate a closed-doors policy for all football games, and post-pone games for several weeks/months and finish the club tournaments over the summer. To escalate it even more, they might need to cancel all domestic cup competitions both this season and even next season for a potentially shortened season next.

I might sound drastic but I think the authorities (both football and govt) have been far too slow thus far and by doing this is the only chance to get a semblance of pro-football in the next year.

[Rheinbacher]

Hopefully we'll mathematically have the title wrapped up before things get disrupted to the point where a postponement/voiding of the league happens. I think if measures need to be taken before the league is officially won then we would be awarded the title anyway, sort of vaguely on a Duckworth Lewis premise. I personally think the FA will be wary as not to drop a massive clanger; we are one of the two biggest clubs in the league who represent the brand worldwide and I think they'll know what side their bread is buttered in regards to telling us that what we've achieved counts for nothing.

There is no precedent for this kind of thing but in other sport teams and individuals can be declared winners/champions in the case of a truncated event. Traditionally, golf tournaments last 4 days. They start on Thursday and finish Sunday. Occasionally though the leader after 54 holes (3 rounds played) is declared the winner when the tournament hasn't been able to finish due to bad weather. In boxing, if the fight has gone more than 4 rounds and a fighter suffers and injury or a bad cut and can't continue then the scorecards are used and the winner is determined that way. Whoever is ahead when the fight is stopped is declared the winner, but the fight must go 4 rounds otherwise it is a no contest.

Football isn't other sports and a league season is obviously much longer than a boxing fight or a golf tournament that lasts the weekend. But the idea that now, with us needing just 2 wins, the league could be called null and void is incredibly insulting and downright wrong. If that happens then the FA might well have started the ball rolling in regards to the proposed Super League, and I doubt for one second our owners would give a fuck about them. This is unchartered territory but given that we'd need to be Jean van de Velde riding Devon Loch to lose this title, I can't fathom the idea that it would all mean nothing.

It won't have anything to with the FA it will be decided by the Premier League.

From what I'm aware the rules are decided by a majority vote by the 20 clubs so there's fuck all we can do if it's decided to void the season after being voted on.

[ScouserAtHeart]

Can the Premier League decide in isolation? What happens to the 3 promoted Championship teams?

[Sharado]

Roma not travelling to Sevilla

There is no way at all we complete the champions league or europa as things stand. Postpone tonight indefinitely, or cancel it. It's fucking pointless.

[El Lobo]

There’s no appetite, anywhere, for cancelling the league season.

[DelTrotter]

Think the league will be fine, even if it took a mad period of clubs playing 6 games behind closed doors in 2 weeks or something it'll get done.

The CL is going to be an absolute mess though, maybe i'll change by kick off but kinda lost most of the excitement about smashing these, what's the prize, nothing or a behind closed doors quarter final? Great.

[BobPaisley3]

It won't have anything to with the FA it will be decided by the Premier League.

From what I'm aware the rules are decided by a majority vote by the 20 clubs so there's fuck all we can do if it's decided to void the season after being voted on.

What does voiding the season mean for next season though? Are all the European groups the same? Spurs get another chance. Seems unfair on Leicester who currently sit comfortably in third while Spurs went out last night. Too much of a minefield.

[Fiasco]

It won't have anything to with the FA it will be decided by the Premier League.

From what I'm aware the rules are decided by a majority vote by the 20 clubs so there's fuck all we can do if it's decided to void the season after being voted on.

But doesn't the FA have to power to overrule rule changes? That's why I thought ultimately it'll come down to them.

[BobPaisley3]

Can the Premier League decide in isolation? What happens to the 3 promoted Championship teams?

Mate championship play offs are the last thing on the agenda 

[BobPaisley3]

Think the league will be fine, even if it took a mad period of clubs playing 6 games behind closed doors in 2 weeks or something it'll get done.

The CL is going to be an absolute mess though, maybe i'll change by kick off but kinda lost most of the excitement about smashing these, what's the prize, nothing or a behind closed doors quarter final? Great.

On the plus side we’ll have the trophy for another year and will be joint league and European cup holders.

[ashleyrose-66]

Roma are unable to travel to Sevilla for their Europa League game tomorrow as their plane has not been given authorisation to land in Spain.

[Statto Red]

I can see the International friendlies being called off, i'm amazed they're not already called off, with the Euro the playoffs behind closed doors, Italy are due to play England & Germany.

The AS Roma plane not authorised to land in Spain, that's why that's been called off
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/51830959

[Phil M]

Roma not travelling to Sevilla

Inter v Getafe also postponed.

[Barneylfc∗]

Quarter finals of the Champions League are a month away. Semi Finals are 2 months away.

There's a fair chance some countries get a grip on things by then. There's also a fair chance they won't. But the only way it gets cancelled is the whole of Europe being in lockdown surely?

[Jm55]

What does voiding the season mean for next season though? Are all the European groups the same? Spurs get another chance. Seems unfair on Leicester who currently sit comfortably in third while Spurs went out last night. Too much of a minefield.

I'd be inclined to agree, which is why I don't think it will happen.

That said, I don't think it's absolutely beyond the realms as at this stage they really could go any way as this position is completely without precedent.

In our favour it's worth remembering that the Premier League will absolutely want the season to finish as close to normally as possible. They have no desire to be cancelling anything un-necessarily. That said, it's not hard to see a situation where that becomes harder and harder to achieve and there is then a decision to be made.

For the reasons you note, I think they will find a way other than cancellation.

[BobPaisley3]

I can see the International friendlies being called off, i'm amazed they're not already called off, with the Euro the playoffs behind closed doors, Italy are due to play England & Germany.

The AS Roma plane not authorised to land in Spain, that's why that's been called off
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/51830959

As I said in the other thread, there’s a massive elephant in the UEFA room.

[ScouserAtHeart]

Mate championship play offs are the last thing on the agenda 

I bet But it WILL have to be addressed at some point.

[El Lobo]

What does voiding the season mean for next season though? Are all the European groups the same? Spurs get another chance. Seems unfair on Leicester who currently sit comfortably in third while Spurs went out last night. Too much of a minefield.

It means nothing because it’s not going to happen. You’d need approval from every league across Europe, fucking every promotion, saving every relegation, you’d have to cancel not just the PL but every league right down the pyramid, leagues that have already finished.

If people honestly want to wet the bed about something that just isn’t going to happen, when there’s clearly more important things to worry about, then more fool them.

I’d guess the likelihood is they’ll end up playing some games behind closed doors and maybe extend the season with the Euros being pushed back.

[Ray K]

Getafe don't want to travel to Milan for the Europa League tie vs Inter, and who can blame them? (Although, isn't Getafe in the Greater Madrid area?). It was due to be played behind closed doors.

[ScouserAtHeart]

Getafe don't want to travel to Milan for the Europa League tie vs Inter, and who can blame them? (Although, isn't Getafe in the Greater Madrid area?). It was due to be played behind closed doors.

Why is that even up to Getafe to decide? Isn't the whole of Italy on effective lockdown as per their govt order?

[Samie]

Saw suggestions on here they'll cancel the season and have a play-off between us and City for the title. No way that happens, the very idea of it is ridiculous. It would affect absolutely everyone, in all the leagues. Do people really think United would settle for a Europe League place? Or that Bournemouth would happily accept relegation when they're level on points with the two teams above them? The sensible thing to do would be to move the Euros next year and extend the season but I'm not sure UEFA really care about the virus, money comes first for them.

Also, the fact that Atletico fans are travelling here is ridiculous. Our game should be behind closed doors and they should be told to fuck off back to Madrid. The club advising fans not to travel, AFTER most of them have already travelled is so stupid I can't even comprehend.

That suggestion you heard was for Seria A where the top three are separated by a point I think. Not for our league where we are ahead by 25 fuckin' points.  As if we'd agree to a play off with Man city when we are so far ahead.   

[Dazzer23]

Following closely what's going on in in Europe, and bearing in mind just two weeks ago Italy had fewer cases than we have now, I think we may get this weekends round of games in then that's it we're done. And it won't be a few week suspension either, according to medical experts, if we're done and dusted with this virus by the end of the Summer we'll be doing well.

A cancellation or postponement of the Euros for a year, allowing the possibility of leagues getting complete in the Summer, currently seems the most sensible and palatable of the potential scenarios to me, but who knows, this is obviously unchartered territory.

This is increasingly looking like having massive long term ramifications on the game, what about lower league clubs? I would think for some L1 & L2 clubs even the prospect of just having to play a couple of games behind 'closed doors' would drive them to bankruptcy.
 
 
 





 

[Jm55]

It means nothing because it’s not going to happen. You’d need approval from every league across Europe, fucking every promotion, saving every relegation, you’d have to cancel not just the PL but every league right down the pyramid, leagues that have already finished.

If people honestly want to wet the bed about something that just isn’t going to happen, when there’s clearly more important things to worry about, then more fool them.

I’d guess the likelihood is they’ll end up playing some games behind closed doors and maybe extend the season with the Euros being pushed back.

Devils advocate here.

Lets say there's a scenario where the PL wanted to void the season - I won't get into the ifs and buts of how likely that is to even happen, but lets say it did, why would we need approval from every league across Europe? Why would Serie A or La Liga care what happens with our league. I'm asking the question not to be pedantic but because I genuinely don't know the answer. Why would, for example, Real Madrid or La Liga give a shit if we enter next season's CL with the 4 teams that we entered this one with?

[wampa1]

City v Arsenal has been postponed.

[Barneylfc∗]

Devils advocate here.

Lets say there's a scenario where the PL wanted to void the season - I won't get into the ifs and buts of how likely that is to even happen, but lets say it did, why would we need approval from every league across Europe? Why would Serie A or La Liga care what happens with our league. I'm asking the question not to be pedantic but because I genuinely don't know the answer. Why would, for example, Real Madrid or La Liga give a shit if we enter next season's CL with the 4 teams that we entered this one with?

Could England even enter any teams in next seasons Champions League if they were the only country not to finish their league?

[Ray K]

Why is that even up to Getafe to decide? Isn't the whole of Italy on effective lockdown as per their govt order?

That's what I thought, but maybe they only applies to Italian citizens, as daft as that sounds?
Seems like it's up to individual airlines about travelling to Italy. Ryanair were still flying to Milan until they decided to cancel all flights as of yesterday.

[jason67]

City v Arsenal has been postponed.

Wow.

Let us know if you get anymore breaking news mate. 

[Jm55]

Could England even enter any teams in next seasons Champions League if they were the only country not to finish their league?

I don't know, I also don't see a situation where we're the only nation to do that though.

It's important to point out that I am not saying that I think this is going to happen, I'm generally of the opinion that football will find a way to keep things somewhat sane during this, but this is nevertheless a discussion on the impact of COVID-19 in sport and this is the worst case scenario for that.

However, if we are to deal in a world where the PL is cancelled, what I think would be the most likely scenario with that would be where some leagues cancel and others do not, and you would think that UEFA, in that scenario, would have a very difficult point to make politically were they to disqualify any nations who did not complete their league season due to COVID-19. You would think that they would give nations the option to either finish the season as normal or find some other, mutually agreeable way to decide who gets into UEFA competition.

As much as I consider myself, mostly, rational, I am willing to admit that this is racking my fucking head. Unlikely to happen? Yeah of course, but if we had managed this kind of league any other fucking year it definitely wouldn't be happening.

[mkingdon]

Voiding the PL/EFL season isn't possible as it has so many real-world knock-on effects for next season, such as who gets relegated, promoted, top four etc.

One way or another there has to be a way to officially finish the season and formalise who finishes where.

Whether that is playing to no crowds, delaying the season or some mathematical calculation, there will have to be a definitive end to the season.

[wampa1]

Wow.

Let us know if you get anymore breaking news mate. 

No worries.  I thought it was important that any impact of COVID-19 on sport should be in the impact of COVID-19 on sport thread.

[The North Bank]

Im in the camp of postponing rather than playing behind closed doors. Even if the season finishes at Christmas and the next one starts immediately after, players can have their annual break now.