British sport faces a bleak winter, and for some a fight for survival in the cold months ahead, after the postponement of plans to allow a limited number of fans back into stadiums from October.
What had been seen as a glimmer of light at the end of a tunnel now looks like another long stretch of darkness for clubs and sports already in crisis-management after being forced to do without their ticketing income stream.
The government had planned to allow 25-33 per cent capacities from October 1 but Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that was being postponed as part of measures to tackle a second wave of COVID-19.
More than 100 sports bodies - including from tennis, cricket, rugby and the Premier League - had called on Monday for emergency funding in the light of the expected development.
They warned also of "a lost generation of activity".
The Premier League said its members suffered 700 million pounds ($A1.2 billion) of losses last season and the national game was losing more than 100 million pounds a month with a "devastating" impact on clubs and communities.
While the top tier enjoys lucrative television deals, the financial picture for those whose business models rely heavily on gate receipts remains stark, with some warning of collapse without a bailout.
"A lot of clubs were already having financial difficulties before this pandemic started and this may sadly tip some of them over the edge," said Mark Palios, chairman of fourth-tier Tranmere Rovers.
English Football League chief executive David Baldwin said last week that EFL clubs lost 50 million pounds in gate receipts in 2019-20.
"It is estimated a further 200 million pounds will be lost if crowds do not return during the 2020-21 campaign," he said.
"The contribution to football's finances made by match-going supporters... is critical to the viability of League football and all EFL Clubs."
The Rugby Football Union had hoped for a 20,000 crowd at Twickenham for England's game against the Barbarians on October 25 but have suspended ticket sales for what would have been a major revenue stream.
In July, the RFU projected a short-term revenue loss of 107 million pounds due to the closure of Twickenham and proposed making 139 positions within the organisation redundant.
The entire backbone of the sport's funding across the UK is the money made from hosting internationals, with the RFU making about 10 million pounds from each Twickenham full house and its internationals at the venue providing about 85 per cent of its income.
Without those funds it has warned of a devastating knock-on effect on the grass-roots game and now even a smaller figure from a 50 per cent or 25 per cent capacity looks in jeopardy.
Australian Associated Press
