Liverpool

Cancelling 2019-20 season 'could cost Premier League £750m'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 19 March 2020

Cancelling season 'could cost Premier League £750m'

A report claims that cancelling the 2019-20 season due to the coronavirus pandemic could cost the Premier League around £750m in lost broadcasting revenue.

The Premier League could reportedly lose out on as much as £750m if they are forced to cancel the 2019-20 season due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Football in England and across Europe has been suspended since last week in a bid to quell the spread of COVID-19, forcing authorities to take drastic measures to deal with the unprecedented circumstances.

Euro 2020 has been delayed for a year in the hope that domestic seasons can be completed during the summer, although the uncertainty over how long the virus will last for means that cancelling the current campaign is still not off the table.

The Premier League is understood to consider finding a way to finish the season as their top priority when they undergo an emergency meeting regarding the future of the 2019-20 campaign today, and The Times reports that they could face a hefty financial hit if they fail to do so.

The competition's television rights are worth a reported £3bn, although broadcasters could refuse to pay up in full if they do not get a complete 38-game season.

With nine games of the campaign still to play, the report estimates that the Premier League could therefore lose out on around £750m in broadcasting money should the season be cancelled.

As things stand Premier League football is still scheduled to return on April 4, although the likelihood of that being the case appears slim given the escalating impact of the pandemic in the UK.