No reason to delay return of fans, Premier League tells government

The Premier League has called on the government to rethink its plans on the proposed return of fans to stadiums.

Measures announced this week put the return of spectators to sporting events from 1 October back under review. It was also announced that the schedule of events designed to pilot the return would be capped at a capacity of 1,000.

Related: Sport to lobby government for new schedule on return of fans

On Friday the Premier League said it had written to the government asking No 10 to change its mind, however, and revealed it would postpone plans for pilot events until capacities were increased.

Throughout the coronavirus crisis the league, along with other sporting bodies, has remained in lockstep with the government as they developed plans to allow the return of sport. The phrase “following government guidance” has been a constant refrain.

But with sporting competitions facing losses into the hundreds of millions of pounds if fans cannot return, the league has broken ranks in language unusually strong for an organisation noted for its reticence.

Announcing the letter had been written out of “concern” over the government’s decisions this week, a Premier League spokesperson said: “For each month of the season without fans, more than £100m is lost to football across the leagues, with consequent damage to the local and national economy. It also harms the employment prospects of more than 100,000 people whose jobs depend on matchday activities.

“Our clubs have already prepared test events and can offer larger-scale trials to prove it is possible to produce bio-secure, safe environments, as was proved through the successful delivery of Project Restart.

“With test events now capped at 1,000 supporters, we believe they will not provide any opportunity to properly test and evaluate measures designed to maximise fan safety. Therefore, Premier League clubs will defer holding test events until a sufficient number of fans are allowed back to enable thorough trials to take place. At 1,000 supporters, not only would there be little to learn from a test event, but each match would be heavily loss-making.”

When football returned from a Covid-induced hiatus in late June, it was in some respects a special case. According to the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, it had been granted dispensation to restart to help “lift the spirits of the nation”.

Now it appears that football, alongside other professional sports, feels left behind as crowds are allowed visit cinemas, restaurants and offices but not live sports.

In a statement the league refers to the government’s “Project Moonshot” plans for rapid testing for the country. It is understood some of the technologies being considered for this approach have originally been raised in working groups devised for the return of sport, groups that included the Premier League.

The league believes, however, it has technological solutions in place that could help fans return safely, including its own plans for rapid testing and computer modelling that could eliminate high-density gatherings at entrances, exits and on concourses.

“The Premier League recognises the ambition of government’s Operation Moonshot and will support the project’s objectives to get fans back into stadiums,” the spokesperson said. “However, we believe measures are already available which would allow the safe return of fans and should also be activated now.

“As the government begins its review of the 1 October date for the return of spectators to sport, the Premier League asks that the high safety standards which can be achieved by our clubs are fully taken into account before any decision is taken and that sport is not left behind other industries.”

The Premier League has revealed a new anthem for the forthcoming season. The anthem is played before each league match as players line up on the pitch and the new composition, with a touch of Britpop about it, was the work of composer David Connolly and 83 musicians and recorded at Abbey Road studios.