by EPL Soccer Is Returning
The English Premier League has made the announcement that it will be returning on June 17 of 2020 provided that nothing goes wrong. Something that should come as welcome news to fans of English soccer. However, it is important to note that this is by no means a return to normal.
Are Things Back to Normal?
For starters, fans of English soccer won’t be allowed to see the matches in person. This makes sense because while the British government has given permission for English soccer to start up, it hasn’t given the go-ahead for mass gatherings. In fact, the British government isn’t expected to give such a go-ahead anytime soon, with some people speculating that this might not happen until 2021 at the earliest.
The lack of in-person attendance is bound to have a notable effect on the atmosphere of EPL matches. As such, the stakeholders are mulling over various ways to make up for the problem. For example, the clubs are thinking about putting cardboard cutouts in the seats as well as broadcasting recordings of fan noises, which should help create a more familiar environment for the participants. Similarly, the TV companies are thinking about giving the viewers a choice when it comes to computer-generated fans as well as fan noises, which is very much reminiscent of soccer-themed video games to say the least.
In any case, there is no real way to predict when fans will be allowed back in, which is assuming that will actually ever happen. Simply put, there is considerable uncertainty about when the novel corona-virus will be brought under control, which will be needed before the British government gives the go-ahead for mass gatherings. If someone manages to come up with a vaccine, it is possible that this will happen sooner rather than later once sufficient doses of the vaccine have been administered to the general population. However, it is also possible that the novel corona-virus will remain a serious concern for the foreseeable future, which will necessitate major changes to how people live in not just this but also a wide range of other respects.
What Do We Know About Other Leagues?
Moving on, the EPL is something of a rarity when it comes to soccer leagues. Generally speaking, its counterparts in other countries are remaining closed for the time being with no clear indication when normal play will resume. In fact, some have already announced the cancellation of their current season. However, it is interesting to note that Germany has made a similar choice, with the result that the Bundesliga has already resumed play.
What Does This Mean For Sports Betting?
In any case, the reopening of the EPL has significant economic consequences for a wide range of stakeholders. For instance, it is believed that the desire to avoid having to rebate about £762 million in broadcast income by completing the season was a major motivator for the EPL clubs to vote to reopen. Under these circumstances, it seems safe to say that sports betting will benefit as well because it now has something else to bet on, particularly since so much of it happens over the Internet rather than out in the real world.
