The Premier League plans to have fans at all grounds at the final two rounds of matches this season, says chief executive Richard Masters.
Up to 10,000 supporters will be allowed into stadiums from Monday, 17th May provided the government is able to stick to its scheduled roadmap.
To maintain a competitive balance and ensure all 20 clubs get to play a home game with fans present, a round of fixtures will be shifted to 18-20 May.
The final round of games is scheduled to be played on 23 May.
“Hopefully the final two fixtures of our season will have up to 10,000 supporters in them all,” said Masters speaking to the BBC.
“We’ve got to go past those first initial steps in the government’s roadmap to get there, so hopefully that will be a fantastic finale to end the season.”
The Premier League chairman will discuss two options for the fixture shuffle next week before voting on the final decision.
One would be to shift the 36th round of games from Tuesday, 11th May and Wednesday, 12th May to the following week.
The other would be for those matches to be moved to the following weekend – which coincides with the FA Cup final on Saturday, 15th May – and the 37th round being nudged on by a few days to become a midweek round.
Masters said the absence of fans for what is going to be virtually a full season plus a quarter of the 2019-20 campaign – added to the rebate that had to be given to broadcasters due to last term’s late finish – is coming at a heavy cost.
“Towards the end of this season we’ll get towards £2bn lost since the start of the pandemic in matchday and broadcast revenue,” said Masters.
“Clubs have continued to invest in competitive match-day squads and the Premier League has continued to make good all of its contributions throughout the pyramid and wider football.
“But the ramifications are that ultimately if there’s less money coming into football, then there’ll be less money going out in the short term.”
West Ham would see the return of 10,000 to the London Stadium for the Southampton game with ticket-holders selected by ballot from season ticket holders.
Sounds like a plan to wreck all the good work with containing Covid. Yes, it’s Richard Masters job to try and justify his salary. But, people will die and many more will have no jobs to go to. Responsible, adult thinking is needed here. Enough said.
COYI