Football without fans?

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Chris Whitty, England’s Chief Medical Officer has hinted we can forget mass assemblies of people for quite some time.

Whispers coming out of the EPL, suggest entire EPL squads will be isolated, tested and medically prepared to play behind closed doors in front of the TV cameras.

This bizarre nonsense is to appease title hopefuls Liverpool, and promotion candidates Leeds and West Bromwich Albion.

Is football without fans really what we need to be thinking about or is this the end for football as we know it?

[sinkov]

Just the opposite imo, it might save football as we know it. One thing is certain, in the midst of this crisis the future of football will be of no concern to the government, football will have to save itself. For PL clubs to survive, including BFC as Mike has already stated, they need the TV money they are due, if they have to play the games to get that money, then they will have to play them, and if the government insist we can't attend then they'll have to be played behind closed doors and all shown live on TV.

It's not ideal obviously, but far from the end of football as we know it, it should ensure the survival of football as we know it.

[1959_60]

It depends how long before we are allowed to mingle again.

If it is, say, a year then, even if live Prem matches are televised, they could hardly show every match on telly and so TV revenue is sure to be greatly reduced.

And for teams outside the Prem, with very little TV coverage, the vast majority simply couldn't survive without paying customers or their sponsors.

The smaller clubs such as Rovers, Accrington, Morecambe, couldn't survive 12 months without customers or sponsorship.

I have no idea how they could be protected and hundreds of players may lose their livelihoods.

(Rovers may be able to survive if Venkys continue to throw good money after bad, but they would have no one to play)

[sinkov]

If we can't mingle for a year 59, we're back to the Stone Age, all bets will be off in that case and football will be the least of our worries.

[1959_60]

Yes Sinkov, if we have to keep social distancing for the foreseeable future then many businesses would become non viable.

Restaurants COULD re open but with fewer tables. And I can't see how waiter service could work.

Same with pubs. No more gathering round the bar, people would have to sit/stand 2 meters apart, vastly reducing the number of people who could sup at any one time. Clubs would really struggle to be made to work with dancing not really being a possibility.

Most shops could re open with current rules that are in place in outlets like bakers, butchers etc.

Cinemas could work with reduced customers.

But mass spectator events, such as footy, wouldn't really work. If Turf Moor was re-opened with social distancing rules enforced, then the attendance limit would be around 4000 max. It would probably need near to that level of stewards to enforce it. Then you would have to monitor people going for a p1ss, drink etc. Not going to happen.

Luckily, our saviour The Donald has come up with a cheap solution - drink disinfectant and shove a bright light down your throat.

I knew he wouldn't let us down.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

We either embrace the philosophy of herd immunity or the majority of our current professional and non-league clubs will go under.

I really cannot see any other alternative but to allow mass gatherings, or football is fu-cked.

[alfinyalcabo]

We either embrace the philosophy of herd immunity or the majority of our current professional and non-league clubs will go under.

I really cannot see any other alternative but to allow mass gatherings, or football is fu-cked.

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Football is phooked then.. There will be no mass gatherings this year ,that's a certainty.

[sinkov]

Luckily, our saviour The Donald has come up with a cheap solution - drink disinfectant and shove a bright light down your throat.

I knew he wouldn't let us down.

No sense of humour you lefties, he was only joking, poor man can't even crack a joke now.

[sinkov]

,

Football is phooked then.. There will be no mass gatherings this year ,that's a certainty.

I don't think it is Alfie, the natives are restless already, they cannot keep us cooped up much longer, they'll have to let us out sooner rather than later. They're watching the polls closely and when the public turn against them they'll know the game is up, and the public won't wear very much more of living like this. The NHS and gimmers with underlying conditions will just have to take their chance.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I thought the Orange Buffoon recommended injecting Dettol or something?

PLEASE don't try this at home folks?