Time for English fans to return?

Its been a long time since Liverpool hosted Atletico Madrid on March 11, and this was the last major game to be hosted on English soil that was open to spectators. But when will fans be back?

COVID-19 has had a detrimental impact on the footballing world, and continues to do so. This leaves fans across England wondering what’s next for their teams, with each passing month costing the Premier League a reported £100 million whilst fans are absent. Not only are the clubs losing out financially, but the fans are losing out socially and mentally as a form of escape and entertainment from day to day life has been removed for a prolonged period.

This has recently been made worse for supporters across the country with the introduction of the £14.95 pay to view games on both Sky Sports and BT Sports, meaning fans have less access to games than ever before since technology evolved in the early 2000s. Despite the increased media coverage, the one-off price tag for each game is a huge roadblock for a vast majority of supporters, as they are unwilling to pay £14.95 each week to watch from their sofa. This leaves fans having to wait for their team to be selected for viewing on platforms such as Sky Sports or BT Sports to even get a chance to watch their team play, and this is a problem in itself as this requires a costly subscription each month.

So what next? I don’t think its unrealistic for fans to return to watch the elite of English football immediately and here is why:

1. Stadiums are evolving- Most Premier League stadiums are modern or capable of adapting their stadiums to cope with a reduced capacity for the time being, especially with modern technology available.
2. Other major competitions- Leagues and competitions across Europe have already welcomed spectators back in a reduced capacity. FK Krasdonar v Chelsea a recent example in the Champions League. (Even features an English club!)
3. Spectator behaviour- Fans are desperate to get back inside stadiums, so would be willing to follow any necessary guidelines if it allow them to spectate.

There is no reason as to why fans could not return imminently, especially as other countries have allowed fans back inside stadiums already. Both clubs and fans are suffering as a result of the current restrictions, but hopefully this will be changing very soon.