All sports events across the world are either cancelled or postponed. All federation, clubs and other governing bodies are facing major financial problems.
Professional football was postponed indefinitely in the United Kingdom since mid-march due to coronavirus outbreak. Premier League clubs are hit severely by this ongoing pandemic as their finances would be entering “uncharted waters” if the season is not finished.
Premier league restart doesn’t seem to be closer after a meeting with all 20 clubs on Friday. Cubs are taking some measures to manage their finance and loss in revenue. Clubs have to furlough their employees and agreed with their players for wage cuts.
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has said that the decision of not to restart would protect players, staff and officials.
“We should all care about the money. I’ll tell you why. Nobody wins if the Premier League receives less money,” Parish wrote in a column for the Sunday Times.
“We are already facing losses no one can quantify – and if we don’t finish the season we are entering uncharted waters. Football is one of the most efficient tax-generating industries in Britain… Overall we pay about 3.3 billion pounds ($4.13 billion) in tax every year and it is the Premier League that largely funds the whole football pyramid.”
Earlier La Liga chief Javier Tebas said if we don’t finish the season then it will lead to collective losses of up to one billion euros. He also said that football was an “economic engine” who generate big revenue and needs to be reactivated as soon as possible.
Parish also agreed with Tebas and said we have to return, even if it meant playing at neutral venues with empty stadiums.
“Football is just another industry trying to get back to work… However we do it, and whenever we do it, football cannot return the same,” Parish added.
“As Tebas observed: if important economic sectors cannot restart, in a safe and controlled manner, they could end up disappearing. That could happen to professional football.”
