Any SPFL Premiership club wanting to declare the season null and void can expect to be hit with a massive bill if that course of action is followed.
So far only one nameless club has put forward that suggestion but the fact that they won’t put their name to the plan confirms how uncomfortable they are with the prospect.
Stopping Celtic from being declared champions for the 2019/20 season seems to be the motivation but that comes at quite a cost.
Sky Sports and BT Sport are enthusiastic backers of the Scottish game but with subscribers deserting in their droves and advertising rates plummeting any chance to rake back money will be taken up.
England enjoys incredible broadcast deals but with that comes greater exposure to outside factors with EPL clubs united in their desire to complete the season even if means matches are played behind closed doors.
Revealing the cost of ‘null and void’ in England The Athletic reports:
Premier League executives have been told it will cost them £762 million in lost broadcast revenue if the 2019-20 season fails to finish due to the coronavirus, The Athletic can reveal.
The huge figure would come due to a breach of contract in terms agreed for domestic and international rights and was communicated to all 20 clubs during the crisis meeting at Premier League headquarters in London on Thursday morning.
The suspension is understood to be costing Sky, one of the two main domestic broadcasters, huge amounts per day as they are not charging many sports customers and cannot attract the same in advertising.
The clubs receive broadcast money twice a year, in August and February, so only recently received the cash for the end of the season.
The rates in Scotland would clearly be pro-rata but there seems to be no spare cash in the game to repay sponsors and broadcasters.
On Tuesday UEFA expressed a wish that domestic leagues are completed by June 30 but that prospect is looking increasingly unlikely.
Once a decision is made on the 2019/20 season clubs will be able to make some sort of planning with income from season tickets for 2020/21 essential for survival.
