While there are undoubtedly bigger issues at hand currently, Premier League clubs stand to take a huge financial hit if the current season isn’t completed.
The coronavirus pandemic which is now starting to hit the UK hard this week has forced the league to be suspended until April 30 at the earliest.
While there was some good news from the governing bodies on Thursday in that the season will be extended indefinitely to try and finish the remaining games in the summer with EURO 2020 being postponed, it remains to be seen if they are able to depending on the coronavirus outbreak.
As per the Financial Times, there is unsurprisingly a desire to complete the season as it’s suggested by consultancy firm KPMG that the 20 Premier League clubs could close up to €1.25bn from lost broadcasting, ticketing and sponsorship income if the remaining fixtures aren’t played.
Naturally, it’s added that even playing the games behind closed doors would lessen the financial hit as while the clubs would miss out on the ticket sales, they could get more favourable broadcasting terms to allow their fans to watch and bring in revenue.
In turn, while saving lives and protecting the public’s health and safety is obviously the top priority for all concerned right now, there is also the financial side to look at which is why there are ongoing meetings and plans to try and get the season finished this summer.
It’s perhaps even more essential for the lower-league sides who depend on that revenue to stay in business, and so the EFL have stepped in to help, but it’s clear many will be desperate to play the remaining fixtures.