British Football Remains at Risk

The start of 2020 saw the cancellation of major sporting events across the world including British footballing as the Premier League and below found themselves on hold until the summer where games were able to be picked up again – throughout the year however there were always concerns that cancellations could come through at a moment’s notice, and as many eyes kept a close watch on case numbers and risk factors. Fortunately, the remainder of the 2020 season was able to be drawn out to a conclusion, but 2021 may not be looking so promising.

The start of the year saw a new lockdown placed on the country, although not quite as strict as the first lockdown that caused the many cancellations throughout the start of 2020 it is thought that some of the restrictions will be much heavier in the coming weeks as case numbers continue to increase. As it stands, elite level sports have been given the pass to keep going ahead as scheduled, but any changes in restriction will impact this – although there have already been calls for some stating that changing measures may not have an impact, as internal changes could come sooner.

The most notable comes from the EFL, responsible for running the EFL Championship, the second highest football league in the UK. There has been a steady rise of positive coronavirus cases amongst elite level athletes that has been causing concern, with some stating that suspending the EFL season may look ‘inevitable’ – for now it appears as if things are still moving ahead as planned but we’ve seen in professional sporting how quickly this can change when things do change. Other leagues and sporting events haven’t shared the same sentiment in voicing concerns, but it’s likely all are feeling the same strains and pressures of rising cases and future uncertainty.

Fortunately, alternatives have been a boon to fans and punters alike over the past year as online entertainment options have become much more widely used. Despite efforts to make some more difficult to access with blocks on advertising and restrictions on services, many online betting and gambling sites here have become available and aren’t subscribed to initiatives such as Gamstop which also aim to reduce participation options, so even with cancellations to things such as football, there are still plenty of opportunities in entertainment with the additional free time many of us now have.

The next few weeks will be crucial for English football, however, as March will signal the discussion around future restrictive measures if none have been put in place before then – until then it’s just a waiting game whilst also watching figures in hopes that any outbreaks can be contained, that testing continues at a similar pace to identify and potential issues, and even nods toward possible vaccinations for players if arrangements can be made in that space as it becomes more readily available to the general public in the coming weeks and months too.