In a regular question and answer session with The Athletic readers, David Ornstein revealed that England’s top-flight division could be back in business sooner than many fans might have thought.
Of course, when discussing any future ideas, it is vital to understand that the State which will ultimately rubber-stamp any initiatives. It is down to football chiefs to pitch plans convincingly to government, to satisfy the scrutiny of science-led programs designed to save the NHS from being overrun and to ultimately safeguard lives.
Today, English League football announced that Championship, League One, and League Two football (behind closed doors) are set to be broadcast live on television or online at some point AFTER May 7th.
This of course ties in with the information shared recently on this blog, which disclosed that players were to make a full return to training by the end of next month.
Potentially great news, but be warned, there will be those prepared to scream from the rooftops that the whole enterprise is deeply repulsive whilst victims of the virus are still dying (hello, Piers Morgan).
No pay cut, just a deferred payment of his 3m bonus for the stadium completion. Still on 3m a year though, I guess he’ll be wondering how to pay his gas bill this quarter as a result! 😂
Maybe it might wake them up to how important the fans are, instead of taking them for granted, and robbing them with overpriced season tickets and shirts for ninety quid that cost 1.50 to make.
I didn’t mention our billionaire owners because as I understand it now Levy has agreed to a pay cut/deferal.However I may be wrong and am happy to have the latest situation clarified.
We’re facing the prospect of football being played in front of empty stadia. This to me is dismal. Football without the fans and the passion and excitement is horrible to watch on TV. There is no prospect of crowds returning before a vaccine is available. The end of this season and the next will be awful entertainment.
The damage to clubs will be huge. They survive on gate money. I feel like these talks are akin to shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic.
The players are in an awkward position. They circulate with many wealthy people who aren’t players, they are employed by multi billionaires and multi billion pound corporations.
I think the players would put their hands in their pockets but why should they while people like our owners don’t?
Giving over the car park under that stadium to people in boiler suits taking swabs is all well and good. It’s not being used for any other useful purpose right now is it? Chavs have let the NHS take over their hotel etc.
The token gestures, no matter how well intended and welcomed are just gestures at the end of the day.
Someone worth 6bn going to the government to pay his staff for a few months was a complete and utter embarrassment. ENIC have a very slick PR machine in place. Even down to that mystery guy who oversees pressers the manager does.
The fact is, nobody will forget this episode and the penny pinching nature of it. So what if you can’t have Guns N Roses play this summer or some other events.
At least the TV money will be there, what about people that run arenas and venues around the world? Where’s their income coming from over the next six months and beyond?
I’m glad all this has exposed Levy for what he is, to even his ever shrinking band of disciples who think he’s doing a ‘good job’.
Jamie Redknapp might be irritating at times but as a player who has worked under Levy (and no longer has his gagging order in place) you have to listen.
Levy is clearly a nasty, penny pinching little $hit to people he employs. No wonder he couldn’t give a crap about the fans and delivering trophies.
20 years, this has gone on long enough but who’s gonna buy 700m of debt and a questionable business model of a ‘multi use stadium’?
London is stuffed full of venues, arenas and stadiums. Large scale live music is dying along with the music industry for example. What are these ‘events’ going to be? NFL, ok but what else?
Nobody will buy us, we are fooked unless Joe suddenly goes mad and puts some of his own money in…
ENIC OUT.
They’re talking about the teams plus staff going into some sort of secluded camps, like national teams at World Cups. Travelling will be by coach most likely, no air flights, and then the nightmare scenario, a player or staff member contracts it. Some other sports are suggesting no return until a vaccine. There comes a point when this insistence on completing the Premier League and EFL seasons begins to pass from the heroic and defiant into the realms of grotesque selfishness and wilful ignorance.
I see Harry Kane has posted a video on line congratulating Captain Tom Moore for his efforts towards raising 18M and counting,for the NHS.
However there is deafening silence from the England and Spurs captain regarding the efforts of him and his team mates to give money towards the same organisation.I am afraid the players have become a huge embarrasment at the moment.
Perhaps the video was a suggestion from Levy to tag Spurs onto the coat tails of this extraordinary effort.Oooops PR fail.