When and how football lockdown lifts

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I had a conversation yesterday about what the world will be like when lockdown is lifted.  We agreed it will not be lifted all at once.  Small private gatherings will be permitted first, then restaurants, cinemas and eventually bars.  The last thing to be released from lockdown will be football stadiums.

When you consider how football fans shout, sing and embrace, normal attendance at games will not be possible while the virus exists and large parts of the population remain in mortal danger.  Thousands of spectators cross-contaminating will not be allowed to happen until the virus is eradicated or a vaccine is distributed.  This could take years.

Around 90% of the football industry across Europe may go out of business before selling another match ticket.  Scotland would be left with Celtic and the community clubs, who can furlough every member of staff, get a grant for the rates and rent out their pitch to youth teams to pay insurance and utility bills.

This is just one small unthinkable thing in a seemingly imperious industry that is very thinkable in 2020.  Similar consequences will be replicated in other industries across the world.  If football wants to survive, it has to get innovative very quickly.

Facemasks, visors, gloves, a shedload of new rules on behaviour permitted at a football ground, alcohol gel dispensers everywhere and cashless kiosks are all things clubs should be planning for.  It would be a mistake to assume the game we are familiar with will return at any point in the next year.  Your football stadium experience will either be very different, or it will not happen for a long time.

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334 Comments

  1. Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on

    this latest lie is all about distraction from he criminal negligence perpetrated by the UK tory party.

  2. The Battered Bunnet on

    One wee example of how critical the accuracy of data is to the timing of actions:

     

     

    UK went into lockdown on 23rd March. It was announced that evening by the PM, a couple of hours after it had been reported that some 355 people had already died.

     

     

    Lockdown in Spain was introduced when 288 people had died, France 175 and Germany 94. Italy had 366 when they locked down.

     

     

    You could say that the UK was taking action in line with Italy and Spain, while France and Germany went earlier.

     

     

    But the ONS data shows that by the day lockdown was announced, 727 people in the UK had died, about double that previously reported. The virus infection rate doubles every every 4 days without mitigation, and if the UK took the decision based on available data – 355 deaths – then we might very well have cooked in a further doubling of infections and deaths in the final outcome.

     

     

    In other words, had we acted when deaths were actually* around 355 we would have locked down on the 19th or 20th March – the weekend preceding the 23rd.

     

     

    Based on what is known of infection rates and fatalities, in the end up those four days – 19th to 23rd March – represent perhaps 400,000 further symptomatic infections and maybe 4000 deaths.

     

     

    Numbers matter. In situations such as this, peoples lives turn on them.

  3. Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on

    oh, the the owner of the SCMP, one of the biggest financial sponsors of the Hong Kong riots.

  4. Matt Stewart on

    I am busy as feck and don’t have a second to myself, BUT sometimes the world needs to pause in it’s orbit and bow down in appreciation for remarkable talent…..Ma wee sister just sent me this.

     

     

    Surely there can be no argument….in choosing the Headline Of The Year….I give you….

     

     

    https://enematic.wordpress.com/2020/04/08/and-the-winner-is/

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

     

    Matt

  5. whitedoghunch on

    fairhill bhoy

     

     

    Lubo, Naka etc who graced us

     

    But THE MAESTRO

     

     

    thanks again

  6. Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on

    TBB,

     

    there is also information that prisons are failing to report true numbers.

     

     

    Bellmarsh is rife, Assange’s death sentence is happening

  7. South Of Tunis on

    Covid19 – Italy @6pm -8/4/20

     

    Cases-139,422

     

    Deaths-17,669

     

    542 people died in the 24 hr period between 6pm yesterday and 6pm today.

     

     

    For the record- my Hoopoes returned today.Gave me a wee lift !

  8. Statement O clock is up and according to the FF vile bile it’s of a “ World Class “ nature and Shows The Peepils level of forgiveness understanding and community spirit for lesser mortals !!!

     

    Superior Drivel garbage and verbal brown stuff being spouted to appease the gullibles !

     

    Yet the same mob have only retribution and Hate as their main mantra .

     

    Yes there are clubs who need money but the one who needs it the most is the empty vessell whose making the most noise !

     

    Faux concern about Poor Hearts Partick Thistle and Stranraer absolute PISH !

     

    They are once again in the grubber and will go to any lengths and I mean any lengths to devalue and discredit our success.

     

    Corona Virus government guidelines recommend a cessation of NON ESSENTIAL WORKS but theyre Ripping up and reseeding a Park but want games completed for the sake of “ sporting integrity “ LAUGHABLE !!!!

     

    Hope the Doos eat all their grass seed the whole hundred quids worth .

     

    Still think there is another agenda with them and Spfl on the Horizon something Rank is going on !

  9. Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on

    loving the latest squirrel, who is in charge and leading the cabinet, like that shambles of a govt, who have failed completely to implement any strategy bar, yer on yer own peeps, is going to help anyone bar printing more money to hand out to their friends.

  10. GuyFawkesaforeverhero on

    Celtic looking for end of season awards nominations.

     

     

    For me Player of the season – Callum McGregor, Young Player of the season – Oddsonne Edouard.

     

     

    Eddy is fourteen months younger than Kent who picked up the official young player award last year, so he must be eligible for this year’s considerations, mustn’t he?

  11. The Battered Bunnet on

    Canamn

     

     

    The prisons thing rather unsettled me when it first crossed my mind about 2 weeks ago.

     

     

    The world is desperate to know what the virus does when it is allowed to run its course through a population. Data on immunity, asymptomatic rates, death rates, timescales and so on. Clearly no country would willingly allow it to happen given the hell it would visit on its people.

     

     

    The Diamond Princess though was effectively a closed population, and the hope was that the data from the ship could provide reliable data for a wider population, factoring for demographics etc. However, the data was influenced by the effect of various measures taken, and isn’t the complete data set needed to map the course of the virus.

     

     

    But prisons; There’s a closed population. And the frightening thought was that the Chinese would probably run one or more experiments tracking the course of the virus through a prison population. The needs of the many and all that…

     

     

    The world is desperate for data to help make decisions, but there would be outrage if we knew how such data was obtained.

     

     

    Then the terrifying thought crossed my mind that they might do it to the Uighurs.

  12. The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on

    What are. The Huns up to?

     

     

    How can you be ‘adamant’ that the season is completed only when each team has played 38 games yet ask for prize money to be distributed immediately? How can you give out the prizes before you know the outcome?

  13. CANAMALAR @ 4:35pm

     

    Beneath me to scroll back! I take it that was The link posted at 4:34 pm

     

    Totally agree!

  14. Does anyone know what number of clubs from the 42 need to back this proposal to pass it?

  15. TBB

     

     

    Your posts are on the money.

     

     

    As my lurking faither said to me last week:

     

     

    I still feel that we’re not getting the full story mainly because the figures they report daily are so limited. e.g. only deaths in hospitals or some care homes reported. Is no one dying of coronavirus in the community? The numbers of actual infections is also of limited value. So what’s up and what’s down? Even when they relax lockdown etc the virus is still out there if not in our neighbourhoods it’s on the next etc. And don’t even think of the consequences when and if it takes hold in Africa and South America. 🤔

  16. The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on

    Let’s not forget the Sevco Chairman had 2 businesses to prop up.

     

     

    Which reminds me. Why on earth donCeltic rent a bus from him?

  17. Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on

    TBB,

     

    The Uighurs for me is another propaganda lie, I don’t believe the US or their paid Islamic extremists, trying to introduce extreme Islam to china like they did in Iraq and Syria, I’m ok with tough counter measures.

     

    You’ll note since the preachers of hate were excluded access the rumors increased exponentially.

     

     

    But back to what we actually know, or what some us do, did you know the first confirmed case of Covid-19 was declared in Bellmarsh the day Assnge’s bail was turned down because there were no infections in Bellmarsh, Assange has confirmed lung problems brought on by his prolonged imprisonment/isolation at the Ecuador Embassy.

  18. David 17

     

    Each league has its own vote

     

    SPL need 75% of the 12 or 9 to vote.

     

    Obviously Sevco and Hearts will vote NO

     

    They will need another 2 No’s according to Sky

  19. Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on

    Aipple,

     

    The numbers of actual infected are a guess at best and of no value unless they can be used to extrapolate, which they can’t. That is why every country so far, who have not carried out mass testing, have been swamped.

     

     

    A real case of damn lies and statistics.

  20. The Blogger, we don’t rent a bus fae them, it’s free as is sevcos. Good advertising for park

  21. Or is the hand of the mysterious benefactor beiing played, asking for pay back for his loan to finish their stand?

  22. i'vehadtochangemynamebacktojackiemac on

    I am very grateful that we are the best placed club in the spfl to survive the crisis.

     

     

    I don’t take it for granted that we will survive it; who knows! How can a business keep going with no revenue.

     

     

    I don’t know what ‘surviving the crisis’ will look like!

     

     

    Was a PLC strategy the best one to render us sustainable in the long term?

  23. Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on

    Just heard that the number of children with chronic asthma, normally 200 a week, visiting hospital for treatment has dropped below 50.

     

     

    Fewer cars on the road.

  24. lets all do the huddle on

    Just heard that the number of children with chronic asthma, normally 200 a week, visiting hospital for treatment has dropped below 50.

     

     

    Fewer cars on the road.

     

    —-

     

     

    or less people going to hospital for non-coronavirus issues 🤷🏻‍♂️

  25. Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on

    Let’s All..,

     

    I suggested the same but was advised we were talking about seriously chronic conditions which appear to have eased since the lockdown.

     

     

    I’ll take it, good news from any source especially where kids are concerned is always a bonus, silver lining.

  26. Normally there is a closed season from part of May , all June and all July for most clubs Leaving most clubs with no income at that time. We don’t know how long this will last If the shit really hits the pan then football will be irrelevant. If things get back to normal by August then some restrucuring would be required ,maybe a league of 16. Maybe no European competitions as flights, travel etc would still be restricted

  27. fairhill bhoy on

    WHITEDOGHUNCH-I watched it again today after finding it for you.Glad you enjoyed the memories.

     

    The Maestro was just a joy