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

[Sharado]

@GuillemBalague
In the next few hours the Spanish FA, LaLiga and the Players Union will meet to discuss the possibility of stopping LaLiga from now on (the FA has cancelled all completions from 2nd B below, the ones they control and want First and Second division also cancelled)

But it's sound for atlei and their fans to come to Liverpool tonight. Cool, cool.

[Romford_Red]

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.
 

The top clubs should be made to support their costs.

I don't care how 'unfair' some might think that is, it is the only sensible thing to do and will foster goodwill in general.

[Son of Spion]

From some FOX/SuperSport journo on Twitter.

I'd be well on board with that. Seems like the most likely scenario at this stage too.

It's by far the most logical and sensible way to go.

No tournaments already in progress should be cancelled. That would be a ridiculous overreaction. If necessary, they should simply be postponed until the crisis is over, then continued to their conclusion. Tournaments planned but not in progress should be postponed and moved to another date once we all know where we stand.

All this talk of cancelling the currently in-progress tournaments seems to be fuelled by rivals of those in with a chance of winning things, and also an irresponsibly hysterical media looking to cause as much panic as possible and generate as many clicks as possible to their 'stories'.

As it stands, the solution to finishing current tournaments is very simple and very achievable. All it needs is common sense. You simply extend the season, and move any upcoming tournaments before they even begin. If moving some is not possible, then cancel them until it is so.

[Yiannis]

https://twitter.com/DaleJohnsonESPN/status/1237679648923947009

Postponing Euro 2020 to the summer of 2021 isn't a simple shift.

June 2-6: UEFA Nations League finals
June 4-8: Two rounds of UEFA World Cup qualifiers
June 17-July 4: Expanded 24-team Club World Cup
July 11-Aug 1: Women's Euros

[Dazzer23]

"Postponing Euro 2020 to the summer of 2021 isn't a simple shift."

There isn't going to be any simple solutions to this.

[surfer. Fuck you generator.]

https://twitter.com/DaleJohnsonESPN/status/1237679648923947009

It still looks viable..

Nations league and club world cup are ultimately minor filler tournaments, scrap them this once; run the women's euros concurrently (16 team tournament, hosted by England as of now, but the load could be spread) with the men's tourney, the world cup qualifiers are only four days in the schedule.

[Son of Spion]

"Postponing Euro 2020 to the summer of 2021 isn't a simple shift."

There isn't going to be any simple solutions to this.

I wonder where it all ends?

I mean will this just happen again next year or is it thought to be a one-off? Do we also start worrying over other strains of Flu too. I mean an ordinary Flu season kills around 600 people in the UK alone. That goes up to 10,000 or so in a bad year, and in 08/09 it was around 13,000.

I assume this current virus will come around again next winter, if so, what then?

[Son of Spion]

"Postponing Euro 2020 to the summer of 2021 isn't a simple shift."

There isn't going to be any simple solutions to this.

It's simple enough to finish ongoing tournaments. One's further down the line, less so.

[Ray K]

Inter-Getafe is now postponed too. Well, it'd be pretty harsh to give Inter a 3-0 walkover win cos Getafe didn't want to fly into a plague zone.

[Linudden]

The most bemusing thing to me is just how scared the general populace is and governments are even in places that aren't particularly hit. Life is dangerous. This could've all been avoided by embargoing Chinese travel into Europe in early January but no-one would listen. Instead the idiots in charge flew gigantic plane-loads back from Wuhan to get the thing back.

Although all this considered, I'm really sure we're starting to see the safety mafia who'll be overjoyed if we're all locked in our houses for ages and that we don't win the league because it's cancelled. This when Britain is far below 1 in 100,000 inhabitants and even then a small proportion of the 0.005 % or whatever it is today succumbs to it and a virus that needen't even have entered Europe had the greedy bastards just shut air travel to China down. I can't really wrap my head around it.

"those who give up liberty for security get and deserve neither".

Let the game go on.

[Romford_Red]

I wonder where it all ends?

I mean will this just happen again next year or is it thought to be a one-off? Do we also start worrying over other strains of Flu too. I mean an ordinary Flu season kills around 600 people in the UK alone. That goes up to 10,000 or so in a bad year, and in 08/09 it was around 13,000.

I assume this current virus will come around again next winter, if so, what then?

Buy shares in bog roll companies.

[UntouchableLuis]

I've come to terms with closed door games to finish the season. If they postpone the season it's a case of when does it resume? What's to say the situation will be any better come April?

Teams that would be massively fucked off in the Premier League if the season got null and voided:

Us.
Leicester
United
Chelsea

Teams who could still make a European spot.

Teams who would have been promoted.

That's just in England.

Yes fans can all laugh and say to cancel it now to stop us winning the title but at the end of the day only City and the mid table clubs have nothing left to play for. And people want to stay indoors for a month with no sport to watch? Surely they'd rather see closed doors football to keep them occupied?

[Samie]

It wouldn't be null and voided. Whatever the standings were in the last game before it would be the final standings.  Only the doom mongers seem to think this will fuck us.

[Wabaloolah]

It wouldn't be null and voided. Whatever the standings were in the last game before it would be the final standings.  Only the doom mongers seem to think this will fuck us.

yep agree with that, if we were a couple of games into the season it would be different but 3/4s of the season has already been completed

[Samie]

It's even more than that mate. I'm sure we'll get in the Everton and Palace game before the next scheduled international break. So that's game 30 and 31. So then we're down to 7 games. 

[elsewhere]

"Postponing Euro 2020 to the summer of 2021 isn't a simple shift."

There isn't going to be any simple solutions to this.

Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for Euro 2020 to part
Noone ever said it would be this hard
UEFA takes us back to the start

[rafathegaffa83]

One issue that hasn't been raised with shifting the calendar is contracts. If a player's deal expires in June and the season is still on July how will that work, because I guarantee some players with a chance to move on a free would be reluctant to continue playing. At the same time, I could see poorer lower league clubs looking to release players during that time. Similarly, if a player is due a pay raise as of July 1st, will some clubs want that postponed or deferred if they are still playing this season

[Fromola]

A good thing about delaying the Euros into 2021 as well would be it'd end the possibility of that Club World Cup monstrosity next June. The CWC would literally leave us playing as a club for 2 years without any break (virus notwithstanding).

This season might only be the tip of the iceberg though. This virus isn't going anywhere so there's as much chance of next season being cancelled than this season. Especially if it's a bad winter in terms of cases. The idea that this season will be cancelled and then August to May will run like clockwork (and June Euros, July pre-season) is pie in the sky.

Cancel all international football until September at least and try and get domestic competitions finished by the end of June, or as soon as possible. Then there's time to assess if football can be played next season.

As a club this virus is going to have a seismic effect on our finances just as we're finally in a great position (typically). But many clubs will go out of business without any income.

This virus is also well timed in showing how much the calendar is at breaking point.

[Charlie Adams fried egg]

A good thing about delaying the Euros into 2021 as well would be it'd end the possibility of that Club World Cup monstrosity next June. The CWC would literally leave us playing as a club for 2 years without any break (virus notwithstanding).

This season might only be the tip of the iceberg though. This virus isn't going anywhere so there's as much chance of next season being cancelled than this season. Especially if it's a bad winter in terms of cases. The idea that this season will be cancelled and then August to May will run like clockwork (and June Euros, July pre-season) is pie in the sky.

Cancel all international football until September at least and try and get domestic competitions finished by the end of June, or as soon as possible. Then there's time to assess if football can be played next season.

As a club this virus is going to have a seismic effect on our finances just as we're finally in a great position (typically). But many clubs will go out of business without any income.

This virus is also well timed in showing how much the calendar is at breaking point.

You don't know that mate. There's enough ill founded speculation in the media without people adding to it here.

[Linudden]

You don't know that mate. There's enough ill founded speculation in the media without people adding to it here.

As soon as there's a vaccine for risk groups, I believe people will stop caring and it's going to be yesterday's news even if it's around.

[Fromola]

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.

All feels pointless in terms of CL. Quarters behind closed doors and a good chance of a trip to Atalanta or Turin. Potentially a CL final behind closed doors or even postponed for months. No parade if you win it because crowds not allowed.

We all want to get the league won because we've earned it. I'd be more interested in the City game tonight if it wasn't called off, as even Palace might be too late now.

[Linudden]

All feels pointless in terms of CL. Quarters behind closed doors and a good chance of a trip to Atalanta or Turin. Potentially a CL final behind closed doors or even postponed for months. No parade if you win it because crowds not allowed.

We all want to get the league won because we've earned it.

If Atalanta are stupid enough to travel back to Bergamo after yesterday's game, they deserve to be DQ'd on the spot 

[I've been a good boy]

Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for Euro 2020 to part
Noone ever said it would be this hard
UEFA takes us back to the start

Alright Adele

[Fromola]

As soon as there's a vaccine for risk groups, I believe people will stop caring and it's going to be yesterday's news even if it's around.

Yes, but that'll be well into next season at best. The vaccine is key because the flu jab saves a lot of lives every year. I'd agree once the vaccine is readily available then the vulnerable can access it and the average person getting corona virus isn't as big a deal. The issue at the moment isn't catching it, it's passing it on to someone more vulnerable and literally killing them off with it, or sending them into ICU. That vaccine will surely not be ready in 2020.

It is possible that the virus slows down over the summer and next season can get underway as normal (and it's a normal season). But if a) it's still spreading then next season won't start or b) it goes mad again over the winter then the season gets postponed again anyway as no fans will be allowed in. It's a real minefield at the moment.

[naYoRHa2b]

I can't see our league getting cancelled and all results being null and void for the season. There would be too much uproar from too many teams.

[Linudden]

Yes, but that'll be well into next season at best. The vaccine is key because the flu jab saves a lot of lives every year. I'd agree once the vaccine is readily available then the vulnerable can access it and the average person getting corona virus isn't as big a deal. The issue at the moment isn't catching it, it's passing it on to someone more vulnerable and literally killing them off with it. That vaccine will surely not be ready in 2020.

It is possible that the virus slows down over the summer and next season can get underway as normal (and it's a normal season). But if a) it's still spreading then next season won't start or b) it goes mad again over the winter then the season gets postponed again anyway as no fans will be allowed in. It's a real minefield at the moment.

I tend to be of the belief that it won't spread much in summer. Flu/virus season is what it is for a reason. I haven't been sick in peak summer since 2007 and before that I'd never been. Frankly, I believe summer will buy everyone some time and given how fast the swine flu vaccine was out there, I'd be stunned if it wasn't around in six months.

[Skeeve]

From some FOX/SuperSport journo on Twitter.

I'd be well on board with that. Seems like the most likely scenario at this stage too.

The various leagues could even use this as a way to shift their schedules onto one that would better suit the idiocy of the Qatar World Cup too.

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/1TC38KlmnSo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/1TC38KlmnSo</a>

He Used To Give Me Roses
I wish he could again;

But that was on the outside,
And things were different then.

We'd built our world together,
With a love so clear and strong;
But that was on the outside.
Where did i go wrong?

ON THE INSIDE THE SUN STILL SHINES
AND THE RAIN FALLS DOWN
BUT THE SUN AND RAIN ARE PRISONERS TOO
WHEN MORNING COMES AROUND

 

[The North Bank]

We're doomed.

[Fromola]

The various leagues could even use this as a way to shift their schedules onto one that would better suit the idiocy of the Qatar World Cup too.

I think the top leagues should start in September now anyway given players are always playing through June and July in international tournaments (2022 aside) and then not getting a break.

One thing this catastrophe will do is showcase just how messed up the football calendar is whilst you've got UEFA trying expand the CL and FIFA bringing in an expanded Club World Cup next year and an expanded World Cup.

World Cup qualifiers start this year as well and if this virus sees these called off then there's nowhere to fit them in without cancelling Nation's Leagues or playing them through the summer.

[clinical]

League game should take priority

Fa cup, Champions league can be scrapped, Euros moved. League games are by far the most important in terms of finances etc. 

[Macphisto80]

I wonder if the bog roll in Anfield will be under lock and key tonight? It's the new currency, you know.

[Clint Eastwood]

https://twitter.com/DaleJohnsonESPN/status/1237679648923947009

Bin the Nation's League for a start. Pointless thing.

[Lad]

It wouldn't be null and voided. Whatever the standings were in the last game before it would be the final standings.  Only the doom mongers seem to think this will fuck us.

I think teams in the relegation places would be pretty miffed with that, rightly arguing that they could well have gone on a long unbeaten run and end up in mid table.

[Hazell]

I think teams in the relegation places would be pretty miffed with that, rightly arguing that they could well have gone on a long unbeaten run and end up in mid table.

They could at least wait until David Moyes' West Ham are in the relegation zone before stopping the league.

[Samie]

I think teams in the relegation places would be pretty miffed with that, rightly arguing that they could well have gone on a long unbeaten run and end up in mid table.

AND we wouldn't be with a 25 point lead currently and who only need 6 points to guarantee the title?  Blame it on COVID19 then.

[Fromola]

League game should take priority

Fa cup, Champions league can be scrapped, Euros moved. League games are by far the most important in terms of finances etc.

The thing with the FA Cup final is it'd be absolutely pointless playing the final (or semi finals) at Wembley in front of empty stands. What they could do is play the quarters next week and then the semis and finals as part of pre-season instead of the charity shield (or just cancel it altogether). FA Cup doesn't have an impact on relegation/CL places etc and the European places can go via the league. The prize money from the later rounds could then be distributed through the lower leagues instead.

CL and Europa League a bit more awkward but given the travel involved across borders (and the infection rates in the countries involved as well) they may as well just cancel them after this round of games going into the break.

Just prioritise finishing the domestic leagues so promotion and relegation are sorted out and the European places are decided for next season.

[mikey_LFC]

From some FOX/SuperSport journo on Twitter.

I'd be well on board with that. Seems like the most likely scenario at this stage too.

Likely too I’d imagine, as they must make a lot more from the Champions League.

Put in in January next year during AFCON, have another delayed finish next year and then back to normal.

Could work out well anyway given the World Cup timing in a couple of years is throwing it off anyway

[ScouserAtHeart]

WHO officially declared it a pandemic

[I've been a good boy]

Bin the Nation's League for a start. Pointless thing.

Still don’t understand how it works. They invented it to replace meaningless friendlies but it still serves little purpose.