Something that I've heard... I listen to the 'Price of Football' podcast w/Kieran Maguire. Not sure how many know him, he does a lot of football financial stuff. He mentioned the other day that it could be possible that the lower leagues (League 1 and below pretty much) might have to consider a hibernation of sorts should the case of fans not being able to attend. Even talks about a vast majority of championship clubs not being financially sustainable as well which is eye opening.
Interesting, thanks for posting, I agree, I can see that happening because the models are already teetering on the brink. I looked at a couple of Championship clubs' accounts last year and it is horrific reading.
As an example. Birmingham City; revenue 23m (5m gate, 8m TV, 10m commercial), staff costs 32m! Total costs 45m plus 8m player impairment. Operating loss of 29.3m on revenue of 23m.
OK there's bits to add back in, but to have staff costs alone accounting for 140% of revenue is astonishing. They either need to find and sell a Jude Bellingham every few years or rely on their owners, but that is a fucked up model. The frightening thing is, it's far from untypical in that division.
Lower down, the wages are probably more sensible, but gate money will be even more important, and given Birmingham make £5m on crowds of 22,000, most League one and 2 clubs won't come close to that. The wages will be lower, but the % losses may be similar.
Then if the lower premier league clubs, also struggling, decide they can no longer take £20m punts on the top championship talent, then the get out of jail card for the Birminghams of this world is removed, so they rely on owners' willingness to fund increasing losses. As we've seem many times in the past, there comes a point when every ownership group says "that's enough".
Bottom line is that Championship players are earning money that doesn't exist, so the wages need to come down.
