Football as a Summer Sport

[Indian Dan]

If, and it’s a big if, this virus dissipates as the weather warms up, how about the season becoming a summer sport.

Sure, cricket wouldn’t be too happy, but this virus isn’t going away. It’ll rear its head every winter. Now it may become just another strain of the regular seasonal flu we have now - which kills way more - and we’ll just learn to live (or die) with it.

If we lose an entire season to this, I dread to think how many clubs would remain.

 

[Chris FGR]

Nope.

 

[GEORGE]

Nope.[/QUOTE It may have to be this season.

 

[valefan16]

Would be enjoyable this season in the sunnies and shorts in June... almost like tournament football in league two... rather then freezing my bollocks off like I would of been tonight at Vale v Bradford I guess and likely will get big crowds due to the whole scenario that’s been put on us.

All if this virus can piss off enough to let us get some form of social life back...

Few Issues will be fitness and if the season does finish last week of June with play offs rammed in its a quick turnaround likely for August. Realistically play offs would have to be 1 leg and possibly even at one of the clubs grounds in the final . 9-10 games in six weeks with play offs on top probably needs to be under way by late April or first week May latest to get it done... possibly a big ask.

 

[dedwardp]

Our ground is the coldest place on Earth so I'd take a summer season.

 

[Laker]

There’s no way football will happen again til summer at the earliest - ie July or even August. And then there’ll need to be a pre season of some sort of about 3 or 4 weeks - there’ll be injuries all over the place otherwise.

I think you’re looking at a September start realistically and that’s assuming that a) the virus has gone and b) the EFL get their act together quickly. 10 games Saturday/Tuesday takes you through to mid October. Play offs and final straight afterwards and finish end of October. Roll into new season in November.

Even if you cancel the cups I don’t see how you can possibly consider a 46 game season to start in November even if you extend it to June and cancel the cups. The players will need a break again in the summer so you can’t extend into the summer of 2021 and that’s assuming an overlap with the Euros would be accepted anyway.

It’s going to be a difficult one to fix. The regionalised suggestion for 2021 is the only one I’ve seen which looks remotely feasible to me.

 

[valefan16]

The issue with the June finish plan if the virus goes is that massive clubs currently have concerts booked into the stadiums... Spurs have an issue with it, think West Ham do and we have the Uber massive Robbie Williams concert... so VP won’t be free that Saturday and potentially the week before for setting up.

Going to be a mess to fit it all in. My regional 2020/21 season suggestion is the only way I can see it working with football now closed until August but both seasons finished next season with maybe a bigger group in the Paint Pot/Leasing to give games during the time between play off final and start of 2020/21 to make the game numbers up.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

There’s no way football will happen again til summer at the earliest - ie July or even August. And then there’ll need to be a pre season of some sort of about 3 or 4 weeks - there’ll be injuries all over the place otherwise.

I think you’re looking at a September start realistically and that’s assuming that a) the virus has gone and b) the EFL get their act together quickly. 10 games Saturday/Tuesday takes you through to mid October. Play offs and final straight afterwards and finish end of October. Roll into new season in November.

Even if you cancel the cups I don’t see how you can possibly consider a 46 game season to start in November even if you extend it to June and cancel the cups. The players will need a break again in the summer so you can’t extend into the summer of 2021 and that’s assuming an overlap with the Euros would be accepted anyway.

It’s going to be a difficult one to fix. The regionalised suggestion for 2021 is the only one I’ve seen which looks remotely feasible to me.

Or that each team only plays each other once during the 2020/21 season?

All these options, opinions and suggestions; but any predicted timelines or plans for bringing it all back into line will all be determined by when the world has taken control of the virus which, at the moment, appears to be some distance off.

 

[Andy Proctor]

I hope all the remaining league games are arranged for saturday afternoons and none are night matches so clubs get bigger attendances to make up for the fact they will have gone around 3 months without any income coming in.

 

[Super_horns]

I hope all the remaining league games are arranged for saturday afternoons and none are night matches so clubs get bigger attendances to make up for the fact they will have gone around 3 months without any income coming in.

Well that would mean a long period will be needed affecting next season..

 

[Camborne Gills]

Our ground is the coldest place on Earth so I'd take a summer season.

You've never been to Oldham then

 

[Chris FGR]

I hope all the remaining league games are arranged for saturday afternoons and none are night matches so clubs get bigger attendances to make up for the fact they will have gone around 3 months without any income coming in.

There won’t be any attendances. Certainly not by June. Might as well play games on Sunday mornings for all of that it matters.