Update on COVID-19’s Impact on Soccer – German Soccer To Play In Empty Stadiums
When will this unprecedented lack of professional soccer come to a close?
The Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives dramatically and the moratorium on soccer training has been in effect since early March. While it is clear that safety must come first, what are the plans to return to play following the guidelines of social distancing?
What will be the impact of COVID-19 on worldwide soccer in the long term? The effect and implications of this forced shutdown are massive from a fiscal perspective as well as a competitive and training view — but the Bundesliga, Germany’s professional soccer league, is seeing hope of getting back to the soccer fields.
Christian Seifert, head of the German Football League (DFL) has announced that the first-tier Bundesliga and its second-tier 2 Bundesliga will restart soccer next month. Suspended since early March, the Bundesliga is also mid-season and now has their teams back at practice observing strict social-distancing guidelines.
read: CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 IMPACTING SOCCER
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has not made a final decision on a timeline for restarting soccer yet but an announcement is expected soon to confirm resuming games behind closed doors in probably late May.
One of the reasons driving this decision, besides the passion for the beautiful game, is economic. According to the LA Times, “By returning to play on television, the DFL hopes to keep the nearly $812 million it would owe its broadcast partners if the season were scrapped.”
Germany is been hit hard by the Coronavirus COVID-19 with 161,985 confirmed cases and 6,504 deaths according to the Johns Hopkins University as of April 30. In response to the pandemic, the DFL established a “Sports Medicine/Special Match Operations Task Force” in March and released these recommendations from the Executive Committee of the DFL.
Read: BUNDESLIGA’S PLAYERS TRAIN — WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING
Recently, the Executive Committee of the DFL convened for a joint meeting via video link on April 21, 2020.
During the meeting, the current discussion surrounding a resumption of match operations in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 was debated.
Here is an excerpt of the DFL Executive Committee’s concluding statement on the matter:
- The statements of some German minister presidents and also the conference of German sports ministers in reference to a restart without stadium spectators in May are good news for professional football.
- The DFL and the clubs are conscious of their responsibilities. The Sports Medicine/Special Match Operations Task Force will present a firm, detailed plan with strict hygiene guidelines, necessary testing, and ongoing monitoring at the forthcoming Ordinary Assembly on Thursday. At the same time, there will be overarching guidelines regarding match organization with a minimum of employees present in the stadiums. Notwithstanding the above, the decision regarding a resumption of the season and the final determination on a specific date will, of course, rest with the responsible political bodies.
- The DFL Executive Committee appeals to all professionals and clubs to continue dealing with the current situation in a responsible manner.
In particular, it would be counterproductive and, above all, unacceptable to the public if team training as normal were resumed prematurely.
- The general situation may not be ignored in order to achieve individual competitive advantages with a view to a possible imminent resumption of match operations.
- The DFL Executive Committee is aware of the fact that nobody wants matches without spectators. For some clubs, they are currently the only option for securing their economic existence, also as an employer.
The aim must be to maintain the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 in the form in which many people have treasured them for decades
For the complete statement, please visit the Bundesliga.
Source: Release
