Return to Stadiums
Part of the Prime Minister's press conference today covered stadiums and concerts.
Plan is to allow return to stadium gatherings in October.
This is subject to 'pilot' gatherings being conducted satisfactorily. This process can begin from 1st August.
As always, the devil is in the detail, but I suppose this could mean the EFL are permitted to participate in the pilot test phase with limited capacities in Sept.
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**from 1 August...we will also pilot larger gatherings in venues like sports stadia, with a view to wider reopening in the Autumn...
...these measures for 1 August should be done in a Covid Secure way...
...From October, we intend to bring back audiences in stadia...again, these changes must be done in a Covid Secure way, subject to the successful outcome of pilots..**
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-on-coronavirus-17-july-2020?utm_source=588bede5-cadd-427a-9b71-2d43d7c9e271&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate
There is a strong argument to be made for delaying the start of the season till October to give the best chance of getting stadiums filled. Particularly important for Leagues One and Two where EFL payments won't cover the costs otherwise. Perhaps for one year we lose the FA and League cups to help compress the season slightly.
more on this from the daily fail
https://dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-8533439/Boris-Johnson-says-crowds-return-UK-sports-stadiums-October.html
They won't lose the FA cup but I can see the League Cup, and the cup we don't have to play in anymore (
) being cancelled for season 20-21
It would make sense to start the leagues in October. Pre season matches can be behind closed doors in Aug/ Sept. It's also possible the early FA cup rounds could take place in that period I agree the League and Mickey Mouse cups could go for a season but watch out for legal moves. Fa Cup replays to go for good in all rounds I guess. Not much room for manoeuvre at the other end of the season with the euros so lots of midweek league games I guess.
All depends if for a month we'd be allowed these proposed sth only capacities or not.
We could deal with one month like that then full footy back.
But postponing until October wouldn't be a bad idea. Maybe pack a few midweeks in early doors to make it up
It's going to be interesting to see how many people do go straight back. I'm sure I'll be apprehensive, but I think what's on offer will tip it.
I will go back. Masked possibly. It may mean pockets full of sanitiser and wipes but I'm so bored...if we can do it safely I'm there in a flash! (and I'm old enough to be worried about getting it off you young people!)
The cost of twice-weekly COVID testing will be a huge factor, surely. Okay for bigger Championship clubs like ourselves, but smaller 3rd tier clubs like Peterborough, Sunderland and Oxford might struggle to afford it.
Despite it being outside I would hope that masks are at the very least heavily encouraged
The bigger problem on the horizon is what happens when the weather turns and the infection rate rockets again when we reach the second half of autumn...
Was in Costa yesterday...all masked up with me glasses steaming up...and the poor girl was explaining to quite a young fellow about the voluntary track and trace system they have in place...he just said 'I'm sick of this. The whole country caught up in this load of old rubbish for no good reason.' It was the 'for no good reason' bit that got me. We've got a long road ahead!
We are moving toward the public being able to resume amateur team sports and I think 5 aside is already possible (?). Obviously people participating at park football level won't have been tested. So I'm guessing that once the new season resumes the testing currently being enforced won't be a requirement.
Obviously like everyone else, players will need to get tested if they have symptoms and self isolate accordingly.
Will compromise the storage and consumption of your crisps somewhat @Wendoverman?
Needs must.
There is still a fringe of people that genuinely believe the whole thing is made up, that it's a way for the government to control us, and can't see the difference versus the figures that the common cold kills.
A potential downside of being masked is that it would not be possible to use cctv to identify those shouting abusive remarks. I can see, not at AP, some using it to literally cover bigoted chants.
Agreed that is a possibility. However, people could always choose to wear, say, a scarf wrapped around the bottom half of their face if they wanted to. It's not like face coverings have previously been prohibited.
If it comes down to saving lives, and in the process helping to prove that fans can come to matches safely, then that is possibly a risk that they'll need to work out a solution for.
It's quite difficult to shout much with a mask on!
Bill Turnbull disagrees.
Not often Wycombe fans abuse each other...mask or not...is it?
Probably the same people that think Elvis is still alive.
@fmg agree with you, but previously covering your mouth to shout would possibly have singled you out. With face coverings mandatory it just might make it more prevalent.
I support getting back to matches, and the need to take sensible precautions, but fear for all that is said about BLM some groups of “supporters” might take advantage.
@carrickblue I get the feeling that for a while it will be home fans only...so unless you're next to the drummer and his supporters and it's getting on your wick, or we re-sign Aaron Pierre or Gareth thinks DDH can 'do a job' for us, I suspect masked abusive chanting will be the least of our worries for a while.
That depends on the league rules on postponements. If clubs will simply lose points for not being able to play due to members of the squad testing positive, I'm sure clubs will carry out regular testing so they can find cases as early as possible and then keep them away from the rest of the players
Standing or sitting in the vicinity of an emu might lead to some form of abuse!
Agree, and personally I don’t think it will be a problem at Adams Park. I was talking more generally for football as a whole.
I'll be going back at the first opportunity.
It'll be a disgrace if they start off without fans rather than wait a couple of weeks.
I'm all for taking sensible precautions but what is the point of life if you can't live it.
Being reported this morning that it could be 50% capacity of stadiums can be open from October 1st
That sounds a lot more positive. Gives more chance of away fans too maybe?
And if it's actually 1st October then it does make sense to delay the start two weeks.