Covids long term implications on football

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Whenever people talk about this season it will always be the season that wasn’t ‘proper’. We can hide behind that forever if we are criticised.
Yeah it’s affected Sheffield United more than most clubs, I know all clubs are in the same boat but I believe our players thrive off the crowd to give them that extra 1/2% and in the premier league it’s all about fine margins. Like I said in the original post the blades need to bounce back straight away to have an advantage over any club who’s in the championship this season and next.
 
I think we are at least five years away from football stadiums being full to capacity again.
 
I think we are at least five years away from football stadiums being full to capacity again.
I’d love to tell you to stop being so silly but I can’t. I remember laughing at someone last summer who suggested we wouldn’t be back in grounds before Christmas, I vividly remember calling them a silly so n so.
 
My worry with that is not so much the half full stadiums, as the fact that away fans presumably wouldn't be allowed.
The thought of not being able to go into a pub before a game like we used to or even things as daft going to the toilet at halftime without some sort of queuing system it’s horrendous to think about what it’s all going to look like and I’ve stayed away from any articles etc that talks about the future of football.
 
I’d love to tell you to stop being so silly but I can’t. I remember laughing at someone last summer who suggested we wouldn’t be back in grounds before Christmas, I vividly remember calling them a silly so n so.

I think they will gradually increase it, 5k next season,,, 8-10k the season after 10- 15k the season after that...and so on. Punctuated by lockdowns in the November - February months when there will be games behind closed doors as now.
 
Yeah it’s affected Sheffield United more than most clubs, I know all clubs are in the same boat but I believe our players thrive off the crowd to give them that extra 1/2% and in the premier league it’s all about fine margins. Like I said in the original post the blades need to bounce back straight away to have an advantage over any club who’s in the championship this season and next.
I don’t buy into that at all. You’ve got Newcastle who’ve lost Saint-Maximin for half a season, City lost Aguero for a few weeks. Man Utd have lost around £100m in Matchday revenue. It’s impacted all clubs but to say we’ve been hit harder can’t be objectively proved.
 
I don’t buy into that at all. You’ve got Newcastle who’ve lost Saint-Maximin for half a season, City lost Aguero for a few weeks. Man Utd have lost around £100m in Matchday revenue. It’s impacted all clubs but to say we’ve been hit harder can’t be
I think they will gradually increase it, 5k next season,,, 8-10k the season after 10- 15k the season after that...and so on. Punctuated by lockdowns in the November - February months when there will be games behind closed doors as now.
I think you’re right although I hold a little hope for maybe one or two games at the end of this season allowing 1-2k of fans
 
Why will they do well in the championship? ... Brewster looked shit against a team that Watford have just put 6 past... People who think brewster and McBurnie are going to rip the championship up are deluding themselves
Are you just trying to be 'edgy' or do you really hate everything about Utd ?
 
I’d love to tell you to stop being so silly but I can’t. I remember laughing at someone last summer who suggested we wouldn’t be back in grounds before Christmas, I vividly remember calling them a silly so n so.

Might have been me! I was told I was talking nonsense last May-June by a fair few on here for saying we would not see any fans back August and it may go on most of the season.

I just felt football crowds would be the last thing they felt would return and still do. It's not a priority at all to the Govt and rightly so in the scheme of things.

After they let a few back earlier this season to a few grounds I was optimistic but the minute they stopped anyone going again I knew that was it for this season.

Just hope we can let some fans in next August but it's going to be a slow process even when we have all been vaccinated. Even 15-20k crowds at the Lane might be another few seasons away and as above suggests games may be played behind closed doors in winter- Nov to Feb for a few years... unless they change the football calendar which they might have to?

I am not sure any away fans will be allowed for a long time. That is quite depressing. To think none of us may have an away day for a few years!

Take no glee in being proved right. I miss it like crazy.
 
Might have been me! I was told I was talking nonsense last May-June by a fair few on here for saying we would not see any fans back August and it may go on most of the season.

I just felt football crowds would be the last thing they felt would return and still do. It's not a priority at all to the Govt and rightly so in the scheme of things.

After they let a few back earlier this season to a few grounds I was optimistic but the minute they stopped anyone going again I knew that was it for this season.

Just hope we can let some fans in next August but it's going to be a slow process even when we have all been vaccinated. Even 15-20k crowds at the Lane might be another few seasons away and as above suggests games may be played behind closed doors in winter- Nov to Feb for a few years... unless they change the football calendar which they might have to?

I am not sure any away fans will be allowed for a long time. That is quite depressing. To think none of us may have an away day for a few years!

Take no glee in being proved right. I miss it like crazy.
I do expect the outlook to be very different in a couple of months. It wouldn't surprise me if a few fans are allowed to the cup final for instance.

It really worries me when away fans will be allowed back though. If I can't do that for another season I am really going to start losing interest. This season has been a real slog for me.
 
Might have been me! I was told I was talking nonsense last May-June by a fair few on here for saying we would not see any fans back August and it may go on most of the season.

I just felt football crowds would be the last thing they felt would return and still do. It's not a priority at all to the Govt and rightly so in the scheme of things.

After they let a few back earlier this season to a few grounds I was optimistic but the minute they stopped anyone going again I knew that was it for this season.

Just hope we can let some fans in next August but it's going to be a slow process even when we have all been vaccinated. Even 15-20k crowds at the Lane might be another few seasons away and as above suggests games may be played behind closed doors in winter- Nov to Feb for a few years... unless they change the football calendar which they might have to?

I am not sure any away fans will be allowed for a long time. That is quite depressing. To think none of us may have an away day for a few years!

Take no glee in being proved right. I miss it like crazy.
Over 70% of the population in Israel have been vaccinated so this will give us a chance to see their progress when they are easing the lockdown restrictions.
 

Might have been me! I was told I was talking nonsense last May-June by a fair few on here for saying we would not see any fans back August and it may go on most of the season.

I just felt football crowds would be the last thing they felt would return and still do. It's not a priority at all to the Govt and rightly so in the scheme of things.

After they let a few back earlier this season to a few grounds I was optimistic but the minute they stopped anyone going again I knew that was it for this season.

Just hope we can let some fans in next August but it's going to be a slow process even when we have all been vaccinated. Even 15-20k crowds at the Lane might be another few seasons away and as above suggests games may be played behind closed doors in winter- Nov to Feb for a few years... unless they change the football calendar which they might have to?

I am not sure any away fans will be allowed for a long time. That is quite depressing. To think none of us may have an away day for a few years!

Take no glee in being proved right. I miss it like crazy.
Back in July/august the death rates on some days were in single figures and the pubs were open so it seemed pretty feasible to allow people back although I always knew it wouldn’t be fully.
The only reasonable way to combat the financial impact on clubs for me is a wage cap especially at the top end of the football spectrum although the problems that would cause in contractual situations etc would be a nightmare. How the likes of Doncaster and Northampton for instance will cope without match day revenue for years to come is beyond me.
 
I do expect the outlook to be very different in a couple of months. It wouldn't surprise me if a few fans are allowed to the cup final for instance.

It really worries me when away fans will be allowed back though. If I can't do that for another season I am really going to start losing interest. This season has been a real slog for me.

Be good to see fans back at the Cup Final, as long as it is fans and not fucking Kenny Corporates
 
Back in July/august the death rates on some days were in single figures and the pubs were open so it seemed pretty feasible to allow people back although I always knew it wouldn’t be fully.
The only reasonable way to combat the financial impact on clubs for me is a wage cap especially at the top end of the football spectrum although the problems that would cause in contractual situations etc would be a nightmare. How the likes of Doncaster and Northampton for instance will cope without match day revenue for years to come is beyond me.
The other issue is the saturation of football on TV. This means that advertising revenue may reduce as there are too many games being shown and it is difficult to make an 'event'of a match. The Premier League may have less bargaining power because of this.

The game has become an 'armchair fan' sport and it may be difficult to entice fans back into the grounds in numbers as seen before lockdown, especially because of the high prices when you can see games live on TV for a fraction of the price. eg.a family of four has to with iOS the cost of going to a big game including travel, tickets, food, parking on a cold wet winter's night against saving £100 plus by watching the game at home and staying warm.

Difficult times ahead for the game
 
Be good to see fans back at the Cup Final, as long as it is fans and not fucking Kenny Corporates
You are right but it will be easier for Wembley to isolate supporters in the boxes rather than letting them wandering round the concourse. The will also make alot of money from those boxes and they will place a premium on them. RIP off football at its best
 
The other issue is the saturation of football on TV. This means that advertising revenue may reduce as there are too many games being shown and it is difficult to make an 'event'of a match. The Premier League may have less bargaining power because of this.

The game has become an 'armchair fan' sport and it may be difficult to entice fans back into the grounds in numbers as seen before lockdown, especially because of the high prices when you can see games live on TV for a fraction of the price. eg.a family of four has to with iOS the cost of going to a big game including travel, tickets, food, parking on a cold wet winter's night against saving £100 plus by watching the game at home and staying warm.

Difficult times ahead for the game

I think you could be right.

Once things begin to ease, and we can start seeing people / having them round, for a lot of people it will just be easier to order food and watch it on the box.

Having a big TV, ordering food online, etc, had become a way of life for a lot of people. It might not be quite as simple as "yay we can crack on" even when we regain the ability to do so.

The landscape for many things will have changed, including going to the match.
 
You are right but it will be easier for Wembley to isolate supporters in the boxes rather than letting them wandering round the concourse. The will also make alot of money from those boxes and they will place a premium on them. RIP off football at its best

A fair and interesting point.

It's not just about going back to the games, not for me. Traditionally (and maybe a bit weirdly) actually watching the game live was just part of the picture. It was seeing mates at the pub before (can't see that happening as they were rammed), all those other little rituals we all had before and after the game. It was all part of the day, but there are still going to be a lot of those things that we might not be able to do.

So yeah, we can go to the game, but so weighted with caveats that a lot might think it isn't worth the bother.
 
I think they will gradually increase it, 5k next season,,, 8-10k the season after 10- 15k the season after that...and so on. Punctuated by lockdowns in the November - February months when there will be games behind closed doors as now.
You could be right. However, on a more optimistic level the vaccines and the ability to rapidly vary them continues apace. In addition there is a lot of research ongoing into drugs to cure people unfortunate enough to contract the disease.
 
You could be right. However, on a more optimistic level the vaccines and the ability to rapidly vary them continues apace. In addition there is a lot of research ongoing into drugs to cure people unfortunate enough to contract the disease.

Finally a bit of Optimism I like it 👍
Just too add to the optimism Picnics might be allowed from the 8th March.
 
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Honestly I don't really care when fans are allowed back in at full capacity. I've not been going regularly for a few years now, I don't miss it and I save myself money in the process. I still watch us on t.v when I fancy it but it's just not my thing anymore. My dad's a "diehard" fan whereas I'm firmly in the casual bracket.
 
The other issue is the saturation of football on TV. This means that advertising revenue may reduce as there are too many games being shown and it is difficult to make an 'event'of a match. The Premier League may have less bargaining power because of this.

The game has become an 'armchair fan' sport and it may be difficult to entice fans back into the grounds in numbers as seen before lockdown, especially because of the high prices when you can see games live on TV for a fraction of the price. eg.a family of four has to with iOS the cost of going to a big game including travel, tickets, food, parking on a cold wet winter's night against saving £100 plus by watching the game at home and staying warm.

Difficult times ahead for the game
Football attendances post the ending of WW2 boomed - a relevant point because this was the last hiatus football suffered.

There is a case to argue that attendances may well boom again once normality returns, people’s desire to resume simple social pleasures such as the pub and then a match may prove irresistible for many.
 

I look at it like this, once everyone has had the first jab then they will probably start to ease restrictions, we canot have another year akin to last year, the country just can't take it financially, but also more importantly the mental health of everyone.

I can see the mental health aspect actually becoming more of an issue to the NHS and govt than the dam virus, and I would go so far as to say it might be starting to happen now.

I hope they will start to let fans back into the grounds very soon as per everyone having the first jab, not just footy though, I was talking to someone yesterday about the pubs, and they were saying there are a few people in power who realise just how vital the local pub is as per above, and want to get them open as soon as possible and as safely as possible.
 

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