The Premier League are in ‘advanced talks’ with the government over plans to resume the season in June.
All 20 clubs were told to prepare for a return in June after the Premier League reached a ‘tentative’ agreement with the government that would allow matches to be played behind-closed-doors, according to the Mirror.
The season has been suspended since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic reached the UK in early March and there was an initial dispute over how the season should be finished.
However, after agreeing that the campaign must be finished by whatever means, the Premier League’s focus has been on a safe return and the government is forecasting for the ‘peak’ of the pandemic to hit in around 10-14 days in the UK.
Once the rate of new infections begin to fall, the government will be pressurised into a so-called ‘exit strategy’ that would see an easing of the lockdown measures currently in place.
There was even a discussion over whether supporters should be allowed to attend matches but the Premier League is just keen to resume in the most safe manner.
With 92 matches remaining and the possibility that large sections of society will still be in self-isolation, there was a discussion over whether matches should be made available to terrestrial television and the matter is ongoing.
Sky and BT Sport also want to be able to show more than their allocated share, arguing that live sport would be a boost in morale for the public.
Should matters proceed as the Premier League hope, all teams and squads will have to comply to the strictest of measures to see matches played.
The arrangement is also dependent on current forecasting and it’s accepted that there could be further postponements if the situation does not improve as expected.
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