Premier League clubs could face a huge bill from TV broadcasters even if the season resumes behind closed doors, according to reports.
The Government’s Covid-19 recovery strategy document allows for the conditional return of top level sports behind closed doors in England from June 1, subject to sufficient progress being made in terms of the infection rate in the country dropping.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters is hoping that his competition could be in a position to resume in the middle of June, although even the initial return-to-training protocols are yet to be approved by players and managers.
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Officials from Premier League clubs met on Monday with the “curtailment” of the season discussed for the first time, while neutral venues are still the subject of “ongoing dialogue”.
Masters also confirmed that no Premier League club has raised the idea of scrapping relegation if the season is played out after reports that clubs were looking for the threat of dropping out of the league to be removed.
However, even if ‘Project Restart’ is successful and the season gets underway, the BBC reports that Premier League clubs ‘could have to repay an estimated £340m to domestic and international broadcasters’.
The report on the BBC adds:
‘The refund is anticipated as matches are not taking place as expected – both because they will be played without fans and at different times to originally scheduled.
‘Premier League clubs are due to earn a total of £9.2billion from broadcasters for the 2019-22 cycle.’
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