Only solution: general strike of players. No-one takes the field until the A-League agrees to a full suspension.
Corona virus - games behind doors??
Broadcasting rights deals in this part of the world are essentially this: we'll give you $X for X hours of content.
The decisions being taken this week by FFA, NRL, AFL demonstrate the model is not capable of dealing with a lack of unplanned content for an unknown period of time mid-season.
The sports might get a week behind closed doors, but I expect leagues will be forced to suspend when lockdowns start to come into place.
any decision made now is for now - with the pace that things are changing anything could happen in the coming weeks - in the last 5-7 days we've had restrictions on gatherings in Aus resulting n cricket being played behind closed doors, then cancelled. Rugby and NRL played in front of crowds for one week and now NZ and Aus borders basically closed. With leagues shutting down in Europe I'd expect to see it happen in Aus and here very soon.
and they can't train for two weeks by this live in Australia plan- then play an insane density of fixtures?
Contrary to what Ufuk Talay believed yesterday, the Phoenix can't train while in isolation. Then they face a 6-game regular season plus finals, compressed into 4-6 weeks, all while living away from home. Utterly ludicrous.
— Jason Pine (@pineyzb) March 15, 2020
apart from the two weeks in isolation, not much difference in terms of timespan and games to what cricketers and rugby players go through at world cups and when on tour. It is just that we would be the only team having to do that, bit like Crusaders in the post earthquake season and they almost won.
Stupid effing plan putting players safety at risk, just typical of the FFA and Fox not to do like other football leagues around the world. FIFA need to step in and axe it.
Only solution: general strike of players. No-one takes the field until the A-League agrees to a full suspension.
What took you so long?
The risk of a young fit athlete becoming really sick from this virus is basically zero. Would still make sense for them to 'group-isolate' as much as possible.
That's not necessarily correct. No-one can be definitive yet that the effects on younger people are not going to be serious
Well maybe can't know whether in the future it may change, but the virus currently isn't having bad effects on young healthy people.
It hurts because we are running hot but I would rather wait two months to finish the season
It hurts because we are running hot but I would rather wait two months to finish the season
Can't delay 2 months.
- No broadcasting income = no pay
- Contracts end in May
- Summer transfer window opens
- Visa players will be gone
It's an unenviable position for FFA - try to finish asap behind closed doors, or abandon the season entirely.
Personally, I think the decision will be taken out of sport governing bodies' hands by government lockdown restrictions. Victoria just declared state of emergency.
cant understand why we cant train?? surely can find suitable accommodations close to a ground and use a team bus to get two and from training, and still remain isolated from others
cant understand why we cant train?? surely can find suitable accommodations close to a ground and use a team bus to get two and from training, and still remain isolated from others
Because they're supposed to isolate from each other - not just from the general public.
cant understand why we cant train?? surely can find suitable accommodations close to a ground and use a team bus to get two and from training, and still remain isolated from others
Because they're supposed to isolate from each other - not just from the general public.
So they spend weeks training together, play together, fly together, then suddenly can't be near each other in an open space? Doesnt make a lot of sense.
cant understand why we cant train?? surely can find suitable accommodations close to a ground and use a team bus to get two and from training, and still remain isolated from others
Because they're supposed to isolate from each other - not just from the general public.
So they spend weeks training together, play together, fly together, then suddenly can't be near each other in an open space? Doesnt make a lot of sense.
So they spend weeks training together, play together, fly together, then suddenly can't be near each other in an open space? Doesnt make a lot of sense.
Crazy eh? Its almost like the optimal needs of professional sportsmen are not the top priority right now!!?!
Update on COVID-19 impact on football (https://www.ffa.com.au/news/update-covid-19-impact-football)
Football Federation Australia (FFA) today confirmed that the remainder of the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 regular season, and the Westfield W-League 2020 Grand Final scheduled for this weekend will go ahead, but with all matches to be played behind closed doors and with no fans permitted to attend. This policy will apply for the remaining six rounds of the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 regular season and will be reviewed for the Hyundai A-League 2020 Finals Series.
The decision by the Federal Government that all travellers to Australia arriving from today will have to self-isolate for a period of 14 days means that matches involving Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix will not proceed in Rounds 24 and 25 of the Hyundai A-League. These matches will be re-scheduled and Wellington Phoenix will play all their matches in Australia for the remainder of the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 season.
FFA also confirmed that grassroots football, including all levels of the National Premier Leagues and FFA Cup Preliminary Rounds, may continue to be played at this time in line with Government advice, but with additional measures implemented to further reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection or transmission through the football community, including recommended hygiene measures and appropriate social distancing at football matches.
FFA Chief Executive Officer James Johnson said that the decisions taken were designed to protect the 1.96 million members of Australia’s football community, as well as ensure that football’s vast community would be a positive force in helping Australians remain healthy and combat the spread of the virus.
“The scale of football means that we have a key role to play in maintaining the health and well-being of Australians, as well as their families and the wider community. We are doing so by allowing people to play, in line with the current Government position but with additional guidance to further improve social distancing at football fields around the country.”
“We have been working closely with our stakeholders, Government health officials and our own chief medical officer to develop our policies for the whole of the game following the COVID-19 outbreak. The situation is subject to constant change, and further measures may be necessary in the future.”
Johnson added “The decision to play the remainder of the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 season, and the Westfield W-League 2020 Grand Final behind closed doors was made in consultation with the clubs and in accordance with the latest Federal Government advice.”
“The health and safety of all members of the football community, including players, coaches, referees, volunteers, administrators and fans continues to be of paramount importance. We will continue to work with the Government and seek advice as the situation changes.”
The National COVID-19 Working Committee will continue to meet and FFA will provide regular updates to the football community as the situation continues to develop.
cant understand why we cant train?? surely can find suitable accommodations close to a ground and use a team bus to get two and from training, and still remain isolated from others
Because they're supposed to isolate from each other - not just from the general public.
So they spend weeks training together, play together, fly together, then suddenly can't be near each other in an open space? Doesnt make a lot of sense.
The league doesn't make the rules around self-quarantine/isolation, the Australian government do.
Watching Aussie news not sure I would want to be going over there. State of emergency in Victoria and sharp increase in cases in NSW. Is it really okay being in isolation,there still needs to be some contact for food etc and how can you be sure those providing services are okay.
Just seen some new information about the virus,its a fast moving story but this just bloody scary.
"Coronavirus is a stealth virus. Infected carriers without symptoms are slipping under the radar. Now research warns these people are the unseen “super spreaders” behind the startling advance of the disease."
The estimate from memory is that something like 80% of the infected won't know they're infected either because they have no symptoms or very mild symptoms (i.e.like a cold). It's still not clear whether those with no symptoms can actually infect others.
Piece I read said that it looks they can transmit it bloody scary if that's the case
From what I've read, it can be still be transmitted to others by people showing no symptoms, I think there are actual known examples. Another worrying thing is apparently there is doubt about the amount of time that someone may be infectious for. It could be longer than two weeks for some people.
One thing I found interesting is that you are worse affected if you get a bigger dose of it. Like, if you get it off a surface someone touched, or someone coughing from a metre away, you won't get as sick as if you pashed someone with it. In my head if you got a virus, you just got it and the amount of transmission wouldn't matter, but I guess it makes sense in a way that the bigger dose that's transmitted, the more of the virus you have to attack you.
Couple of Aussie sport updates:
Football South Australia just announced ALL football under auspices of FSA suspended for 2 weeks.
AFL have cut season from 23 rounds to 17 (18 teams play each other once); yet to decide if season will start this Thursday night.
Why do I feel like the Nix have been thrown into a Lion's Den?
One thing I found interesting is that you are worse affected if you get a bigger dose of it. Like, if you get it off a surface someone touched, or someone coughing from a metre away, you won't get as sick as if you pashed someone with it. In my head if you got a virus, you just got it and the amount of transmission wouldn't matter, but I guess it makes sense in a way that the bigger dose that's transmitted, the more of the virus you have to attack you.
That would explain the deaths of young doctors in China and Europe. They would be getting a lot of high dosages of it, and would be exhausted on top of that.
It’s really troubling listening to the debate going on in NZ. Here in Europe the same conversations were taking place three weeks ago....play behind closed doors, extend the season etc. Now all sport is cancelled. Nobody cares about sport anymore, everyone is more concerned about staying alive. People in NZ seem to be really struggling to get their heads around how serious this will be.
I woke up here in France on Sunday morning to find that there is now a total shut down. Everything closed, cafes, bars, restaurants, all shops except grocery stores, supermarkets, pharmacies and petrol stations. We are told to stay at home and only leave for food shopping. Across France Spain and Italy there are now more than 100 million people in lock down. The death toll doubled in 24 hours in the UK, France had 800 more cases and in Italy 386 people died on Sunday.
As a ex Wellingtonian it was really really disappointing to hear about that guy testing positive in Wellington. There has been a marked cluster effect of virus in Europe. They all have been traced back to a single carrier at each place. A classic example occurred in the biggest city near where I live Montpellier. A guy flew in from Italy, went to gym, had lunch at a cafe. Two days later he was hospitalized for acute Coronavirus. Had no symptoms on arrival. A week later people started testing positive and now there is a big spike in cases. It has been confirmed that people can be highly contagious at an early stage when they show no signs of illness. I sincerely hope that Wellington will be OK.
If people in NZ think that everything will be fine then you are 100% wrong. The virus is already in the country. There is no scientific reason why NZ won’t follow the same pattern as Europe. You have a window of opportunity to prepare. Think about where you want to be when the shut down occurs. Plan for all schools to close, sort out how you might work from home, have a plan for elderly or sick relatives. If you have a freezer think of stocking it up, restock the pantry. The supermarkets won’t run out of food but if you are in a full blown epidemic situation you won’t have to keep going out an getting exposed and you can live off your stored food.
I can’t overestimate how serious this will be. I have seen it first hand. A few weeks ago we went to a football game, lunched at a cafe, went to the movies. Life was great, now we are in total lockdown in a ghost town. It happened unbelievably fast, there were 12 cases in France when we arrived.
Keep safe
Thanks Austin for your reality check. Not for everyone to panic like we have seen on the news, but to take it seriously and prepare in an organised calm way. Stay safe everyone.
One thing I think the Government should do is make alcohol hand sanitisers free to everyone, Just a suggestion.
State of Emergency now here in Peru.
Huge concern how the medical system will cope. If it's failed in Northern Italy, it can easily fail here.
Millions of Venezuelan economic refugees in other Sth American countries like Peru. Nearly all young, with older family back home. They are shark scared what could happen in their homeland, given it's really a failed state without even the most basic medical care. Like a lot of impoverished countries, the death toll amongst the elderly could be huge.
I'm gonna close this as there is asimialr topic in the Phoenix subforum. Chuck it all in there.