Seasons2019-20Rumour Mill

New virus protocol could see empty stadiums starting this weekend

The paper claims that the Government's Cobra committee will meet this morning where they are expected to agree to move its response to the COVID-19 pandemic from the “contain” phase to the “delay” phase which would see "social distancing" measures implemented nationwide.

That would involve restrictions on the size of gatherings — typically to around 1,000 people — and would necessitate a crisis plan being unveiled for football.

Under the proposals, the Premier League season would not be suspended or cancelled; rather, all matches would be played without spectators and pubs would not be allowed to show games to discourage the gathering of supporters.

No Premier League games would be played at 3pm, allowing English Football League clubs to stream their matches over iFollow, and all season-ticket holders and ticket holders for individual games would be able to stream coverage of matches into their homes.

The report says that the plan could be put into action once cases of the coronavirus in the UK pass 500. At the time of writing, the total is 460.

Suggestions that the season should be cancelled have been dismissed given the enormous penalties the League would incur from not fulfilling its overseas broadcast contracts. Cancellation of matches would only be considered if infections spread among the players, as is now the case in the National Basketball Association in the United States where a member of the Utah Jazz team has tested positive for COVID-19.

A postponement of games for a number of weeks would threaten the European Championships which are scheduled to kick off in June and is, therefore, not being considered.

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