With the RL wanting to start our season on Boxing Day presumably pre- season will start in November with regular ongoing corona virus testing having to be paid for. Apparently talks with clubs are ongoing with the RL but some Championship Clubs & National League have expressed concerns if this continues into the 2021 season. Last season championship clubs were quoting £150,000 for 9 or 10 matches to conclude the season. If those costs were correct for a full season that would be nearly half a million pounds per club. Even if those costs could be reduced to £250,000 I cannot see clubs meeting those costs without passing it onto fans via season tickets / admission prices unless the RFL foot some of the bill. This could lead to the demise of more than half of the clubs outside of Super League. Any thoughts anyone?
I'm sure I read that some Premier League clubs were willing to pick up the tab for Covid testing for League Cup games and that the cost per game is between £5k and £15k.
So, I can't see Championship games resuming until pre-game testing is a thing of the past unless, as you say, the costs are passed on. Not all clubs will be able to do that though so it seems unlikely that the division would resume en masse.
Maybe the pre-game testing will continue until a vaccine is bedded in? God knows when that will be.
I am convinced that SL clubs will put every effort into supporting the Championship/League 1 clubs to ensure the season can start and meet the costs of covid testing. I also believe in Father Christmas.
There is no way that clubs can afford to meet these costs at any time and more so, until fans are allowed back in grounds.
The government are saying that they hope to have a vaccine available for general use by March next year, which is around the time our season would start. If the players were given vaccines, would that mean they wouldn’t need to get tested?
If that were the case, we would be able to play next season, perhaps starting the season a month late, and with fans attending .
That would make more sense than attempting to start the season on Boxing Day which surely can’t happen now. To maximise the chances of getting fans into grounds we need to be looking at a later start for the championship.
The government are saying that they hope to have a vaccine available for general use by March next year, which is around the time our season would start. If the players were given vaccines, would that mean they wouldn’t need to get tested? If that were the case, we would be able to play next season, perhaps starting the season a month late, and with fans attending .
They would probably still need testing, they won't want to take any chances even if a vaccine gets approved, the efficacy of it might only be enough to cause a milder effect of the virus, not stop transmission completely in which case anyone unvaccinated/unable to be vaccinated in wider society would be at risk until you've reached herd immunity (remember that phrase).
Latest is that they are looking at first weekend in March for a restart with the expectation that fans would be hopefully able to come back in from circa April 1st.
Seems pretty sensible but I suppose it will be a tight squeeze to get 26 league games plus play offs in before the World Cup. Maybe double header on both May Bank Holidays (Friday Night/Bank Holiday Monday?).
And are players not on contract from December 1st?
Wonder if the RFL will apply for a help out like the lower league soccer teams? Could cover tests at least.
Unless all the public start obeying the "Rules" nobody will be playing for a very long time. Only by staying safe will we ever get rid of the virus. What is the point of the Pubs, Clubs and Eateries closing at 10 pm and then the "customers" congregate outside. The Supermarkets and Oflicences should also close at 10pm.
And what about people who need to go shopping late at night due to shifts etc.?
Bellends shouldn't need to go and congregate outside anywhere. Go out, then go home. Here's a mad thought, if you think you might want to drink after 10 p.m. make sure you have ale in the house before you go out....
Selfish, irresponsible people will make this pandemic drag on for far longer than it needs to, just so they can go and get drunk/flout the rules cos they're rebels!
Not disputing that a fair percentage of the public aren’t helping matters but let’s not take the blame for this situation away from those who genuinely deserve it. Which is not Joe Bloggs wanting another beer at 10.05.
Wonder if the RFL will apply for a help out like the lower league soccer teams? Could cover tests at least.
Where do the RFL get the money to cover the testing cost? Bearing in mind they've lost around £3m due to lost revenue from cup final and Ashes series already.
They only reported a 75k profit last year, so hardly flush with cash themselves.
Maybe the RFL need to review their running costs.
Maybe the RFL need to review their running costs.
Up from £260,000 to £900,000 in a year!
Maybe just me, but think its a bit OTT to play and rent Wembley for a no crowd game: may as well play at the KC or something....
I think if we see Rugby in the ground before Easter, that's a win.....