Project Restart faces ‘rebellion’ but ending 2019-20 Premier League season could see 4 clubs go bust

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Project Restart faces ‘rebellion’

Plans to restart the 2019-20 Premier League – better known as ‘Project Restart – are beginning to unravel.

Although, that somewhat depends on whether you’re a red-top of broadsheet consumer.

Remarkably, some of the tabloid press in the UK appear to have gotten bored with the Covid-19 crisis already.

For the record, the UK has 162,350 confirmed coronavirus cases, and 21,678 deaths from the virus. Data from Johns Hopkins University.

Yet, the front page of the Star on Wednesday doesn’t even mention the pandemic.

As for the back page of the Star, rather than focusing on the unfolding backlash about plans to restart the Premier League, the red top focuses on testing concerns and how the police won’t allow a Liverpool bus parade should they be crowned champions.

While the Sun are peddling the story that fans could be allowed into stadiums thanks to ‘sanitising tunnels’.

In the broadsheets, however, doubts over whether the 2019-20 Premier League season will resume are getting a lot louder.

The Times, for example, report on the “revolt over Project Restart”.

 

Health fears & complaints about the Premier League’s sporting integrity

Project Restart is being attacked on two main fronts.

The first centres on the health concerns of restarting the Premier League and exposing players to Covid-19.

On Talksport on Tuesday, Simon Jordan suggested that football columnists may soon have to delve into the world of corporate manslaughter if Project Restart goes ahead.

Those fears are also borne out in the Times on Wednesday, as it’s becoming apparent that some Premier League footballers don’t want to return to action. Readers are told:

Clubs have been told by players that they are scared about rushing back before it is safe to do so and contracting the virus and passing it to their families. 

As one club insider said yesterday it would prove difficult to convince players to engage in a contact sport when everyone else is being ordered to stay two metres apart.

It’s also worth noting that scientists, writing in The Lancet, have warned professional footballers and elite athletes that the risks posed by contracting Covid-19 may be greatly increased by returning to sport.

On a separate track, some Premier League clubs could rebel against Project Restart amid claims that it lacks sporting integrity.

The central issue here is the use of neutral venues to stage certain Premier League fixtures.

Put another way, there’s a growing likelihood that if the 2019-20 Premier League season does resume, not all clubs will be allowed to play at their home grounds.

The Times today suggest that Wembley Stadium, St George’s Park and Twickenham could all be used as neutral venues.

However, this issue is causing angst and anger amongst some Premier League clubs. The Times report:

The Times has learnt that several top-flight teams will argue that it is wrong to play at all while the country is in the grip of the coronavirus crisis, and that the sporting integrity of the competition could be undermined by teams losing home advantage.

The Premier League has made it clear that only approved stadiums can be used, but some say that would be “unacceptable” as it would damage the integrity of the competition with some clubs gaining an advantage.

 

Testing & concerns around closed doors games

There are two other arguments presented in the press on Wednesday for why Project Restart should be scraped.

As previously mentioned, some in the media – mainly the tabloids – are flagging up the optics problem of Premier League footballers receiving regular Covid-19 tests while many front-line workers can’t access these same tests.

Secondly, as puffed up in the Mirror, there’s a concern that football fans could congregate outside grounds if matches are played behind closed doors.

 

Premier League timetable for Project Restart

So what’s going to happen?

This Friday, May 1, all 20 Premier League clubs will discuss the plans for Project Restart, which aims to resume football on June 8.

 

Ending 2019-20 Premier League season could see 4 clubs go bust

On Tuesday, the French Prime Minister confirmed that they’ll be no top flight football in the country until September.

That’s effectively ended the 2019-20 Ligue 1 season.

Accordingly, France have joined Belgium and Holland in having had their domestic seasons ended by government decisions.

So should the Premier League follow suit?

Possibily, but the economic implications of ending the 2019-20 Premier League season cannot simply be swept under the rug.

Let’s be clear: if the 2019-20 Premier League doesn’t finish, the financial consequences for some will be truly devastating.

In the Guardian, readers are told:

Discussions over what to do next will be shaped by the knowledge that Premier League clubs stand to lose up to £1.137bn collectively if the season does not finish and they have to pay back broadcasting money.

One executive said clubs could each lose up to £40m if there are no games on television and around £10m if games take place without supporters.

The Independent expand those fears, suggesting Premier League clubs could go bust if the season ends:

Much of that has obviously been influenced by broadcasting contracts, but there is more to it. There is also a fear that up to four Premier League clubs could go into administration if the postponement goes on longer than the summer.

There are admittedly elements of this crisis that are a genuine existential threat to the game.

Could one of those teams be Burnley?

At the start of the month, Burnley indicated that they stand to lose £50m if the Premier League doesn’t restart.

 

Also see: 3 options to finish the Ligue 1 season & UEFA have a major Champions League problem with PSG and Lyon.

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