Covid-19 & the 2019-20 season (or, Can a rabona inspire us?)

The Raccoon

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Sunny von Bulow
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At this point they have to cut their losses and abandon everything until the fall. Covid aside, these players won’t be match fit. Watching out of form players lumber around empty neutral grounds is going to destroy the brand. People will recoil at shitty fooybsll and shitty atmosphere, which matters most in football than anywhere else.

the leagues will gut their own brand.

plus if even one marquee player gets covid...
 

mikeford

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Bundesliga was set to come back next week

Wellllll someone(s) on FC Dresden in Bundesliga 2 tested positive and the entire team is now in 14 day quarantine.


I have a feeling this is going to be a familiar song and dance for any league trying to get going while we're still in full blown pandemic mode.
 

InstaFace

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The only important character in that post is the "2" following "Bundesliga".

When it happens without the 2, it will be big news. Until then it's hand wringing about probabilities.
 
I'd be shocked if every major sports league in the Western world isn't paying very, very close attention to what is happening with the Bundesliga in Germany right now - it really is the guinea pig for how sport might move forward during the pandemic. (Korean and Taiwanese baseball and soccer leagues aren't relevant templates in this regard.) Eventually, a team in the top division of the Bundesliga will have an outbreak of COVID-19, and how matches involving that team are dealt with might provide a template for how the NFL or NBA or MLB could move forward, to say nothing of all of the soccer leagues in Europe and elsewhere could proceed. If the Bundesliga functions over the next few weeks, sports around the world may resume fairly quickly thereafter; if it has to shut down again in short order, I wouldn't be surprised if little or no live sport takes place anywhere in 2019. (The NFL perhaps notwithstanding, because Trump and the owners won't allow that cash cow not to be milked.) So buckle up, everyone...
 

ElUno20

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I'd be shocked if every major sports league in the Western world isn't paying very, very close attention to what is happening with the Bundesliga in Germany right now - it really is the guinea pig for how sport might move forward during the pandemic. (Korean and Taiwanese baseball and soccer leagues aren't relevant templates in this regard.) Eventually, a team in the top division of the Bundesliga will have an outbreak of COVID-19, and how matches involving that team are dealt with might provide a template for how the NFL or NBA or MLB could move forward, to say nothing of all of the soccer leagues in Europe and elsewhere could proceed. If the Bundesliga functions over the next few weeks, sports around the world may resume fairly quickly thereafter; if it has to shut down again in short order, I wouldn't be surprised if little or no live sport takes place anywhere in 2019. (The NFL perhaps notwithstanding, because Trump and the owners won't allow that cash cow not to be milked.) So buckle up, everyone...
But, in terms of the US, the NFL isn't just one of several pieces of the sports landscape. For a overwhelming majority, it's everything. Not to be pessimistic, while i agree with your point, the NFL wont give 2 shits about what happens in Germany.

They'll spin whatever they need to have a season going as normal as possible. The only thing that could stop them is responsible government and that isn't happening here.

Edit: also Germany's plan to finish the season has been out there for weeks. It's not really a wait and see thing. It's there for anyone to see. They've done a good job handling things and are at the point where they can take the risk. Other leagues are dependent on the country they're in being in a good spot. It kinda doesnt matter what happens in Germany. The nba and other leagues operate here
 

lexrageorge

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But, in terms of the US, the NFL isn't just one of several pieces of the sports landscape. For a overwhelming majority, it's everything. Not to be pessimistic, while i agree with your point, the NFL wont give 2 shits about what happens in Germany.

They'll spin whatever they need to have a season going as normal as possible. The only thing that could stop them is responsible government and that isn't happening here.

Edit: also Germany's plan to finish the season has been out there for weeks. It's not really a wait and see thing. It's there for anyone to see. They've done a good job handling things and are at the point where they can take the risk. Other leagues are dependent on the country they're in being in a good spot. It kinda doesnt matter what happens in Germany. The nba and other leagues operate here
I have to believe the commissioners of MLB, NBA, and NHL and even MLS are very closely watching what's going on in Germany. Or at least they should, as they will need to see what works, what doesn't, etc. Yes, a lot of the outcome will depend upon how the US is able to mitigate or contain the virus, but it's still prevalent in Germany as well. If Germany's and Italy's attempts at restart are unsuccessful, it will give smart commissioners like Silver pause. NHL and MLS will follow the NBA's lead, and MLB is likely to do so as well.

Not sure what the NFL will do if the states don't allow teams to operate their stadiums even for fan-free games, which is a distinct possibility. People here aren't so beholded to the NFL that they will allow it to dictate our coronavirus response. Yes, there will be some loud Trump supporters that get upset, but that will happen regardless; those folks will not sway Cuomo, Murphy, Inslee, Newsom, etc. Or even Baker for that matter.
 

InstaFace

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Kyle Walker is apparently a COV-Idiot and The Athletic calls him out at length for his selfishness.

https://theathletic.com/1795456/2020/05/10/daniel-taylor-kyle-walker-covid-coronavirus/
excerpt:
It was true, he said, that he had driven to his parents’ house in Sheffield to pick up some home-cooked meals. Why, he wanted to know, should they have their privacy invaded by becoming part of the story?

He had visited another relative in Sheffield. And yes, he had also been to Rotherham to see his sister — “one of the few people I can trust in my life” — to drop off some birthday treats. “She hugged me to remind me how much she cares and that I am loved. What am I meant to do — push her away?”

Well, yes, Kyle, that is exactly what you are supposed to do — unless, of course, you consider this all beneath you.

Because let me tell you about a guy called Kevin Rowson, too.

I knew Kevin, or Bamma, because he had been part of the match-day staff at Nottingham Forest for the last 10 years or so. We weren’t close mates as such but I had seen him enough times to realise he was one of those guys who loved his work. He loved to be part of the football club he supported. He had a big smile. He always wanted to shake hands and welcome you to the ground. And then, out of the blue, somebody rang up a few weeks ago to say he was dead. The virus had got to him, too.
<...>

What Walker needs to realise is that if everyone had his attitude, well, heaven help us…

It would be nice, for example, if I could visit my dad on his birthday this week. He lives in the sticks. He is widowed. He will be 83 and he is alone. And, yes, it is all a bit shit — but what can you do? We can ring each other. We can Facetime. A present can be ordered online. A card can go through the post.

We know what Walker would do in this position. He would take the risk, plainly. I prefer it my way — and nobody is wearing a halo here — when I would rather not be the person who might have the virus but ignores the lockdown and passes it to somebody it might put in a grave. Because, let’s be honest about this, that kind of risk-taker is a bit of a plank, right?
 

terrynever

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Dr. Fauci has a great way of breaking things down. Here he describes how football players can spread Covid-19 in a game, assuming at least one of them is infected:

Fauci explained to NBCSports.com that sweat is not a threat to spread the virus, but the danger of players shedding the virus would still be high during a football game.
"This is a respiratory virus, so it's going to be spread by shedding [the] virus. The problem with virus shedding is that if I have it in my nasopharynx, and it sheds and I wipe my hand against my nose -- now it's on my hand. You see, then I touch my chest or my thigh, then it's on my chest or my thigh for at least a few hours. Sweat as such won't transmit it. But if people are in such close contact as football players are on every single play, then that's the perfect setup for spreading. I would think that if there is an infected football player on the field -- a middle linebacker, a tackle, whoever it is it -- as soon as they hit the next guy, the chances are that they will be shedding virus all over that person.
"If you really want to be in a situation where you want to be absolutely certain, you'd test all the players before the game. And you say, 'Those who are infected: Sorry, you're sidelined. Those who are free: Get in there and play.'"
Players who tested positive for the virus should be quarantined for 14 days, Fauci told NBCSports.com.


https://www.espn.com/…/dr-anthony-fauci-nfl-season-depends-…
 

The Gray Eagle

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The Bundesliga is set to return this weekend.

https://www.si.com/soccer/2020/05/13/bundesliga-return-germany-ranking-matches-dortmund-schalke
DVR note for anyone planning on recording these games: I have YouTubeTV and the DVR is set to automatically record all Bundesliga matches on FS1 and FS2, but for some reason, it wasn't going to record this weekend's games.

I had to go to the FS1 network listing and scroll over to Saturday to find the games and then manually schedule each one to be recorded. If you're planning to record these games, you might want to double check your DVR, no matter which cable/streamer you use.
 

dirtynine

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I am really most curious about the fitness level. Maybe players have been training their asses off but still... I expect a couple of weeks of rust at least.
 

Mighty Joe Young

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So .. it’s looking like the Premier League is planning it’s return for June 19th .. the neutral sites bad idea has been abandoned .. however relegation/promotion still hasn’t been ironed out as it’s unclear if the Championship can finish their season or simply decide the standings on a weighted PPG model. Relegation threatened PL clubs are whining it wouldn’t be fair for them to be relegated after a full schedule and a championship team promoted after a partial schedule - as if one has anything to do with the other. Talk about grasping at straws
 

Kliq

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Just do the mega league next year, with some teams not playing each other twice. Make sure the Big 6 play each other twice, as well as all derbies and rivalry games.
 

Zososoxfan

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Since I just learned about this and I haven't seen it posted elsewhere yet, here's the latest from La Liga/UCL:

Football in Spain will return in June with matches played on every day of the week - including Mondays with a limit that no team can play twice in the space of 72 hours. How matches are staggered and kick-off times for each matchday have yet to be finalised but in the hot summer months, games played in cooler parts of the country such as the north will kick off at 20:00 hours while those played in the hotter parts will start later, at 23:00 hours.
...
For LaLiga, staging football matches every day of the week means that a team who plays on a Monday night will have to play again on a Thursday. Playing two matchdays per week will allow LaLiga to be concluded by 29 July, the limit set by UEFA for all European leagues to be completed as an express version of this year's Champions League will restart on 2 August with the final taking place in Istanbul on 29 August, as long as the remainder of the calendar can be completed in full pending on what happens in the meantime with the coronavirus pandemic.
So here's the deal: June return with a condensed schedule to be completed by 29 July. Some matches will start as late as 11pm local (!) due to heat concerns, which is just awesome for me in EDT since these matches will start conveniently after the workday at 5pm (gigglesnort).

Buried in here is the news (news to me anyway) that UCL will finish the campaign in August with a condensed schedule. Have to assume that domestic leagues will push back the start of 20-21 seasons.


https://en.as.com/en/2020/05/17/football/1589701917_981747.html
 

SocrManiac

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Six positives today in EPL.

Some commentary sees this as a good thing. I can't wrap my brain around it. These folks are positive, they're shedding the virus, and they've been around their team. How can they get ahead of this?
 

Mighty Joe Young

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Six positives today in EPL.

Some commentary sees this as a good thing. I can't wrap my brain around it. These folks are positive, they're shedding the virus, and they've been around their team. How can they get ahead of this?
well .. one assumes they were tested before any training commenced .. this is actually really good news as they tested all the players, coaches and team staff.

so .. you merely quarantine the misfortunate personnel and carry on. What worries me is they are only testing a couple of times a week - increasingly the likelihood of community transmission.

Of course, if a team is decimated with cases (or players declining to play) they are going to have a argument for cancelling relegation. (Watford for example). And I think it’s a good argument. I’ve said all along that, if they can’t complete the league they should cancel relegation but still promote .. that way they will avoid the myriad lawsuits that will occur otherwise. Not to mention the fairness issue. Of course, that will add six games to each team‘s schedule next year, which Is a lot. Still, I think it’s manageable - get rid of the league cup, Get rid of FA cup,replays. It’s only for a year.
 

Mighty Joe Young

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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/may/19/hull-city-break-ranks-and-call-for-championship-season-to-be-voidedHull City's chairman taking the high road, encouraging the EFL to cancel the season and declare it void. Of course, his side were in 21st place in the Championship, without a win since New Year's.
For the life of me I can’t understand why anyone would be arguing for null and void in good faith. Let’s just pretend the past thirty odd games never happened .. they are completely meaningless. Yeah .. that’s fair .. the fact we are dead last in those games has no merit. Solves everything !

if they did that in the Premier League you would be completely screwing over LFC, LCFC, Sheffield United and Wolves , not to mention clubs coming up from the Championship.and you would be rewarding Spurs , ManU , Norwich, Aston Villa and Watford for being bad. Yeah .. thats the best solution!
 

Tuff Ghost

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Per the Telegraph, it appears the Premier League will resume on Wednesday, 6/17 with a couple of matches to get everyone up to 29 matches, and then a full-round of fixtures will start Saturday, 6/20 (with another game possibly on Friday, 6/19).

The Premier League season will resume on Wednesday June 17 – with Aston Villa at home to Sheffield United and Manchester City hosting Arsenal.

The two matches are in the ‘games in hand’ that will take all the 20 clubs up to 29 matches and have huge ramifications at both ends of the table.

Another Premier League game may be played on Friday June 19 but the full round of fixtures will start on Saturday June 20 with matches staggered across the weekend.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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This has to have some effect on next season. When are they going to kick that off? Will there be a delay?
There are so many moving parts to that. I don't think project restart even sorts out yet relegation and advancement in the lower leagues so what the composition of each league will be is up in the air, plus all the backlogged international stuff -- you have champions league and Europa league not to mention that Euro 2020/21 qualifiers are not even done and are planned to be in 8 different countries in various states of reopening.

I think a significant date is going to be when UEFA announces whether or not they have commitments from the various hosts on Euro 2020/21 and what they are going to do with the 16 team playoff for the last 4 spots. That could come as soon as June 27 but there are so many issues to work out there. That's a major domino that needs to fall and the Champions League August completion is at this point looking more possible but still highly up in the air. Once those two pieces fall into place I think you can start imagining international breaks and league composition and figure out 2020-21 season plans. Right now, I think the PL just wants to get these last 8 to 9 games in the books to get that revenue that's still on the table and to have a complete season as quick as is safely possible. I haven't seen the fixtures list, but I assume we're looking at getting it all over by the end of July.
 

JayMags71

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I haven't seen the fixtures list, but I assume we're looking at getting it all over by the end of July.
You would hope, but...
The two matches are the "games in hand" which will take all 20 clubs up to 29 games played with the remaining 90 fixtures scheduled in a frenetic six-week period, with matches played over seven weekends and two rounds of midweek fixtures, before the league season is completed on the weekend of August 1-2.
Apologies for not quoting TG’s link in my original post. This idea seems I’ll considered.

That's a major domino that needs to fall and the Champions League August completion is at this point looking more possible but still highly up in the air.
Would France allow matches to be staged? They canceled the Ligue 1 season last month.

https://www.goal.com/en/news/ligue-1-season-ended-french-prime-minister-cancels-sporting/16bnns0010vjb1n9qkssgdwfvs
 

JayMags71

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Holy Shit: from The Times

Liverpool are likely to have to play their remaining home fixtures at neutral venues when the Premier League resumes next month, The Times can reveal.

The authorities are concerned that “key matches” — such as those involving league leaders Liverpool and London derbies — might lead to supporters congregating outside stadiums in breach of social distancing guidelines.
This is Thatcher-level bullshit.
 

Kliq

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Yeah, it's been sooooo hard this year for LFC, how will they win at neutral venues????
 

Jimy Hendrix

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I don't have the numbers in front of me from the first few Bundesliga matchdays, but home stadiums don't seem to matter nearly as much given the lack of fans so I don't see the major competitive difference.

That said, I also don't see why fans who would congregate outside an empty Anfield (or wherever) while a game is happening there wouldn't still congregate outside an empty Anfield (or wherever) while the game happens somewhere else.
 

SoxFanInCali

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Well, maybe City will lose to Arsenal (hey, a guy can hope), and Liverpool can try to wrap up the title at Goodison. Once it's clinched, there shouldn't be any concern about fans crowding around Anfield during games, should there?
 

Time to Mo Vaughn

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Well, maybe City will lose to Arsenal (hey, a guy can hope), and Liverpool can try to wrap up the title at Goodison. Once it's clinched, there shouldn't be any concern about fans crowding around Anfield during games, should there?
Just wait until they deduct points for fans violating social distancing.
 

Kliq

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Even when the whole world is suffering from a pandemic Liverpool fans are somehow still the victims
Look, I get it that it is probably stupid and unnecessary, but this isn't 50,000 people at Anfield vs empty stadium, it is empty Anfield vs empty non-Anfield stadium, it really won't make any difference in a competitive game, as long as the neutral field is relatively close to Anfield.
 

teddykgb

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Liverpool could be forced to play the remainder of their schedule in Guam with 9 players and it would make no difference. The lead is insurmountable
 

teddykgb

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You’ll easily breach that as well, especially now. Many teams will be going through the motions for TV money. It’s basically the fight for 3/4/5 depending on what happens to City and to avoid relegation
 

SocrManiac

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Teddy, do you honestly believe that Liverpool fans haven’t lost something real, here? We’re framing this in terms of sport: we all know the greater picture in the world right now. We also know the arguments FOR sport during challenging times. The 2013 Red Sox are a wonderful example.

This side is historically good. Their fans haven't experienced a league win in a long time. None of that matters, even when they win. Nobody will remember their run, their dominance, or consider what “may” have been or any records they set.

City’s ridiculous win over QPR would look very different and be something totally transformed in this climate. Hell, without fans in the ground, it might not even happen.

Calling out Liverpool fans in this instance seems like a particularly dick move, even for you.
 

Zomp

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I think Teddy is just having a little fun. Everyone knows Liverpool* fans are being hard done by not being able to celebrate properly.


You guys do like being the victim though ;)
 

OCST

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Teddy, do you honestly believe that Liverpool fans haven’t lost something real, here? We’re framing this in terms of sport: we all know the greater picture in the world right now. We also know the arguments FOR sport during challenging times. The 2013 Red Sox are a wonderful example.

This side is historically good. Their fans haven't experienced a league win in a long time. None of that matters, even when they win. Nobody will remember their run, their dominance, or consider what “may” have been or any records they set.

City’s ridiculous win over QPR would look very different and be something totally transformed in this climate. Hell, without fans in the ground, it might not even happen.

Calling out Liverpool fans in this instance seems like a particularly dick move, even for you.
I think the pile of corpses over there might pick a nit with you regarding priorities
 

InstaFace

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This side is historically good. Their fans haven't experienced a league win in a long time. None of that matters, even when they win. Nobody will remember their run, their dominance, or consider what “may” have been or any records they set.

City’s ridiculous win over QPR would look very different and be something totally transformed in this climate. Hell, without fans in the ground, it might not even happen.
None of that matters? Nobody will remember?

It'll go in the record books. You know, right in between the 18-19 and 20-21 seasons. People will livestream their reactions to the clinching match. There will be bottles of beer ironically poured out in front of nobody on various peoples' back porches. Someone will go on the street, try to flip a car, and throw out his back. It'll be glorious. Regardless, I don't think anyone will have any trouble articulating the excellence on the field. I mean, they're European champions and shortly English champions, I don't know what else you could ask for. One of these days they'll probably get their parade, too.

This is the strangest fan whine I can recall since the days of JulE6. I mean, there were two World Wars when the seasons were fully cancelled. This year, by contrast, the games will be completed and trophies will be handed over and consigned to display cases. On the scale of tragedies, this is at the stubbed-toe end of the spectrum.
 

PedroSpecialK

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I have been in the mindset of give it any asterisk you want, so long as the season isn’t null and void. On the contrary, I believe everyone will remember this as the most resounding league win in history regardless of how the last several match weeks panned out.

UCL? Cancel away :fonz: