Financial fears spur Australian sport to play on despite virus

As events are scrapped around world to counter threat of coronavirus, a handful of Australia's main sports are doggedly pressing ahead, spurred by fear of financial ruin. While major competitions elsewhere have suspended ir seasons in hopes of curbing pandemic, rugby league and football have chosen to continue playing to empty stadiums after government banned public garings of more than 500 people. Players from country's most popular spectator sport, Australian Rules (AFL), have stated y too want to carry on, with a decision still pending on wher games are played this week as scheduled.

At stake is t only Australian fans' deep thirst for watching ir favourite teams, but lucrative broadcast commitments, with television money ir lifeblood. Making matters worse, spiralling virus threat has struck at start of season for rugby league and AFL -- both big industries in ir own right. National Rugby League (NRL) only kicked off last weekend and AFL is due to get underway on Thursday. According to Sydney's Daily Telegraph, every weekend of rugby league is worth around Aus$1.2 million (US$740,000) to each of 16 clubs in TV rights, t to mention ticket sales, corporate hospitality, merchandise, and food and bever income.

'Big trouble'

In confirming round two would go ahead without fans, Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'landys warned of dire consequences to viability of a sport seen as part of Australia's social fabric. "I can't stress eugh that our game has never faced such challenges. longer it takes, more pressure on our financial viability," he said. "Our money will only last so long, and once it's extinguished, we are in big trouble." 

Broadcasters do t have to pay if games aren't played, NRL said on its website, and V'landys has urged government to help sport as part of its nearly $18 billion coronavirus ecomic stimulus pack. NRL anunced a Aus$30 million surplus in its most recent financial results, but its reserves won't last long if games are cancelled and salaries still need to be paid. Phil Gould, an influential ex-player, coach, administrator and current television pundit, questioned why game's financial model had t left it with a bigger war chest.

"We've got to learn from what we've done in past and ask ourselves why we are so vulnerable as a code right at moment because we have to close down for a season," he said. Some players have voiced concerns about games going ahead, saying cancellation of global events, including Australian Grand Prix after a McLaren team member tested positive, should be setting off alarm bells. NRL chief Todd Greenberg said he had listened to all opinions, but "it remains our plan to continue to play games in round two this weekend".

Doomsday scenario

massively popular AFL faces a similar doomsday scenario, with its blockbuster season-opener between Richmond and Carlton at Melbourne Cricket Ground set to kick off with one re. Ordinarily, y would expect a bumper crowd. "A crowd of high 80s, 90,000, would probably return a gate of Aus$1.2 to Aus$1.4 million. That's one game. You extrapolate that and it's a big number," said Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale. players' union on Tuesday said re was overwhelming support to keep playing, but AFL administrators deferred ir decision pending updated health advice.

In a bid to keep costs down, AFL has encourd clubs to make cutbacks, which will likely mean lay-offs and redundancies. Players have reportedly been asked to take a 20 percent pay cut. "Football will find a way through," AFL chief Gillon McLachlan insisted. In contrast, Super Rugby, which involves Australian rugby union teams, has suspended all fixtures while Cricket Australia, whose home season was coming to a close, did same.

Football is t as popular in Australia as rugby league and AFL, but it has a faithful following and also intends to keep domestic A-League going. " financial impact on sport is something at some point we are going to get to," said FFA chief James Johnson. "But our priority right w is to ensure our people are safe."  Ten of 11 A-League teams are Australian, with exception of New Zealand's Wellington Phoenix.

y face being quarantined for a fortnight on arrival in Australia, where y will base mselves for rest of season, and n for ar 14 days when returning home. Club legend Paul Ifill said Phoenix's decision to shift to Australia was "ridiculous". "y've got to suspend ( season) and see where it's at in a month," he said. 

Im credits: AP