In this SPECIAL REPORT by INFOPLAY we want to detail the situation that arises in the medium term in the most relevant competitions and sports for the sports betting sector. And it is that although in general the sport at an international level is stopped and only competitions such as the First League of Nicaragua, the Belarusian Premier League in soccer and the TaiPei League of basketball are still running, the expectations of a prompt resumption of sports activity They are very real, although -as we will see below- with nuances...
China ceases to be the example to follow
Until a few days ago, Chinese sport was the mirror where other countries looked at themselves in order to resume sports activities. However, a news item announced a week ago in China, the first country affected by the Coronovirus panda, has definitely helped the major sports institutions to work on concrete proposals for possible partial resumes, regardless of whether they are going to carry with them closed door events.
And it is that the Chinese authorities prohibited the resumption of official sports activities and these still do not have a scheduled date for their resumption in the Asian country.
This suggests that the return to normality in the field of sport is still a long way off. And for this reason, thinking of alternatives that allow ending competitions at all costs, avoiding events with an influx of public, is the priority for the world of professional sports.
Liga Endesa Spanish Basketball League
One of the most recent proposals is the one announced by the Endesa League (ACB) of Spanish basketball, which would be considering these days to end the regular phase of the league and immediately celebrate the playoff in a special concentration of all the teams in the competition in the Canary Islands, being these one of the areas with the least impact in Spain of infections by Covid-19.
Bringing the teams together in this geographical area would allow the season to close and save the Endesa League television contract with Movistar + and which is the great financial support of the competition in difficult times when national competitions must compete with the Euroleague. But it is also a powerful example to follow so that other leagues and sports disciplines could follow in his footsteps.
La Liga Santander
As for the highest category of Spanish football, the LFP president has been clear and plans to resume the competition. In his own words "we are not working on any other scenario other than the end of the season, which we hope will resume in the second half of May." However, that optimism has been met with unexpected events such as the decision of the Belgian League to end the season. A decision that does not have the approval of UEFA, which threatens countries that do not end their current seasons with not allowing their teams to participate in European competitions next year.
Neither does the Spanish Government seem to be contributing to an early resumption of the competition, since for example this weekend the Executive strictly prohibited Rel Society from restarting its training as the Gipuzkoan team had announced on their social networks.
The options that are shuffled from the Santander League are to play the games behind closed doors and do it as soon as possible following the example of the German Budesliga that already allows its teams to train. Thus, although much has been said, a definitive cancellation seems an unrealistic option; in fact yesterday Monday, the LFP presented a first protocol to play behind closed doors by sending a circular to the clubs with rules on security and organization "of obligatory and strict compliance" that will serve for the resumption of the league, possibly before June .
The Italian Serie A also does not allow their teams to return to normal and has explicitly announced to the clubs that they will not be able to train during the month of April. However, the Organization and the clubs are working in a scenario similar to that of Spain: resumption of the competition at the end of May behind closed doors.
In fact, the closed door option is the only one that seems feasible in France since yesterday evening, Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron announced in a televised public appearance that "events with a large influx of public will be prohibited until late in the summer", Therefore, it is understood that football matches could only be played under the conditions mentioned for Italy and Spain: behind closed doors; although for now the media in the country of is not raising this alternative until the clubs meet this week after Marcon's speech.
Champions League and Europa League
Perhaps the only good news to deal with the problematic situation that the king of sport in Europe has encountered has been the suspension of Euro 2020, which will allow pressure to be removed from the calendar and which as an immediate consequence made it possible for both Champions League and Europa League have great options to play.
Regarding the format of the competition, it also seems likely that it can be modified and solutions such as playing the single-game playoffs are on the table; Another possibility is that the finals of both competitions could also change places (Turkey and Poland were the countries in charge of hosting the Champions League and Europa League finals respectively)
The North American Major Leagues
The North American basketball league, the NBA was the first to stop and with it there was a domino effect that in just 48 hours stopped the majority of professional competitions in world sport. The problem in view of its prompt resumption is that the United States, and especially New York City, is now suffering fully from the consequences of Covid-19 and perhaps the situation in the country will take time to stabilize.
If anything, ending the 82-game season is still possible if the league could resume before June 1. If this is not possible, the situation would be complicated since both television rights and player salaries are the highest in world sport, and in addition the impact on the transfer market, free agency and Draft would be huge draft.
The baseball MLB that was about to start delayed its start and for now - as it happens with the NHL and its playoffs - they are not a big immediate problem, the same as the case of the NFL, whose season will start in September and seems to want to. normal start ... In any case, among the possible scenarios in these four competitions optimism reigns in the resumption of their competitions ... considering the end of May as the most likely date for the return.
Pre-seasons and Salary Cut
In all the cases that we have already cited, the main demand of the athletes through their unions is undoubtedly to have an adequate time that serves as a preseason in which to physically recover from a period of partial inactivity marked by confinement measures. adopted by many countries.
Thus, in the majority of competitions the great current debate is to start this phase of preparation of the players as soon as possible -as a preseason- before resuming sports activity.
The other problem that affects professional athletes is the adjustment of their wages. Faced with the global scenario of falling income from public attendance at parties and the doubts generated by complying with huge television contracts, the cubes are obliged to manage cuts in salaries; a reality that together with the concern for having a preseason could lead an important debate when definitive start dates for the competitions are considered.
Controversies in tennis and cycling
The readjustments of the calendar after the suspension of major events have had two of the most controversial sports in tennis and cycling. In tennis, the professional circuit - both men's and women's - acted quickly and the regular tournaments scheduled for the months of March and April were suspended, leaving the future of major events like Roland Garros up in the air. The announcement precisely by Roland Garros to delay its dates from May to September, caused the US Open - the Grand Slam that is normally held in that part of the year - to denounce a major conflict of interest both at a sporting and economic level.
Something similar happens with cycling, where the Giro d'Italia announces the move from May to September, so if it could be disputed it would occupy the same weeks on the calendar as the Vuelta Ciclista España.
This double stage of dispute in the official calendar of both sports leaves many unknowns about what the second part of the year will be like; something that in terms of sports betting also suggests that normality will not only come with the resumption of events, but in addition to the technical difficulties that will occur to maintain the offer of live betting, it is also possible that they overlap large sporting events with scope in the sector.
18+ | Juegoseguro.es – Jugarbien.es
