A-League 2020 restart: 36 days of non-stop football to finish the season
A whirlwind 36 days of football could save the 2019/20 A-League season under a resumption plan put forward to clubs and TV broadcasters - but there’s still two major hurdles to clear.
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The A-League season would be finished in a blizzard of 36 days of almost continuous football, under a resumption plan put forward to clubs and TV broadcasters.
The remaining rounds and finals series would begin on July 18 with the grand final slated for August 22, as part of the schedule which requires the agreement of Fox Sports and the conclusion of a pay deal with players to cover the extra three months needed to finish the season.
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The games would all be played in a single hub, based in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, with players based locally for the duration – playing 32 games in 36 days, including the 27 outstanding league games plus five finals.
But it seems certain that the games will be played in empty stadiums, despite the NRL’s hopes of bringing some form of crowds back to games from the start of July.
Clubs say they do not expect sporting events to have crowds permitted in time for the remainder of this season, though A-League bosses will be guided by the prevailing medical regulations at the time.
A-League followers have been waiting for details of the competition’s resumption, with the NRL coming back this week and the AFL slated for a restart on June 11.
If the A-League schedule is approved by Fox Sports, the final hurdle would be to agree a pay deal with the players association and the A-League clubs. Though the players reacted with anger to an offer from FFA last week which could involve a significant reduction for the three months in question, several sources say there is the willingness to conclude a deal quickly.
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Squads would then return to pre-season in the first half of June – though the exact make-up of those squads remains to be seen, with more than 100 players due to come off contract as of next Monday.
That deadline has cast a lengthening shadow over discussions with the players, given the legal minefield associated with trying to keep players at the clubs they were playing for before the competition’s suspension once their contracts have expired.
As well as the pay, various points of contention have to be settled, including the question of whether players could be able to opt out of any mass extension of contracts for three months, and the level of health and hygiene measures observed at each club.
But perhaps the biggest issue will be the lack of clarity over what next season’s competition finances will look like. All sports are in the process of renegotiating broadcast deals in the wake of the damage caused by the coronavirus to the economy, and sponsorship income has dried up.
FFA will have to renegotiate the remaining three years on its broadcast deal with Fox Sports, reducing the current value of $57m a year, and then agree a revamped salary cap with the A-League players dependent on how significant that reduction proves to be.
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Junior football will finally start playing matches at the start of July if state government health chiefs give the green light to plans for a truncated season.
Football NSW has sought permission from the state government for full-contact training and competitive matches to be allowed from July 1, as part of the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
It’s likely that junior football would be able to begin games immediately if approval is granted, from the weekend of July 4/5, but older age groups and adults may be asked to conduct one or two full-contact training sessions before playing competitive games.
As part of widespread efforts to maximise what is left of the season, Football NSW is part of a group of winter sports negotiating with their summer counterparts to get access to playing fields until later in the year than normal – potentially until early to mid-October.
That would allow a season of around 3.5 months, roughly six weeks shorter than normal, as clubs and associations try to maximise what remains of the coronavirus-ravaged grassroots sports environment.
Though Football NSW mandated a return to training last week – under strict conditions around hygiene and social distancing – many clubs are still waiting for the green light from local associations and councils.
As of now, training has to be in groups of no more than 10, including coaches, on areas of at least a quarter pitch, there can be no socialising before or after sessions and a strict protocol around hygiene, washing balls etc has been put in place.
Clubs are also being required to keep a record of anyone attending training, with parents asked for only the bare minimum number of adults to be present – ideally waiting in their cars during training sessions.
Under Football NSW’s submission to the government, which follows the AIS Guidelines for the resumption of community sport, the limit of 10 people in each training group would be lifted, though the guidelines suggest that sport should “consider maintaining some small group separation at training”.
The response is likely to be guided in part by the broader status of societal restrictions, as the government slowly reduces the lockdown imposed in March.
Stuart Hodge, CEO of Football NSW, confirmed that a submission had been made for a resumption of games from the start of July, with talks continuing over extending the season beyond its normal finish in late August.
“Football NSW lifted the temporary suspension of football to permit training so long as it adheres to the Public Health Order,” Hodge said. “The next step we have taken is to submit to the government a proposal that would permit full training and matches from 1 July onwards.
“Football and the other winter sports are working with the summer sports to extend the period of field usage so that our seasons can run onto October.”
Originally published as A-League 2020 restart: 36 days of non-stop football to finish the season