Time is fast running out for minnows
BURTON FACE £750K LOSS DUE TO CRISIS
BURTON owner Ben Robinson admits lower league clubs need a “bail out” from the Premier League to survive despite getting some cash from the top flight this week.
The Brewers chairman says the coronavirus crisis has cost them £750,000 so far and he believes most clubs have taken out loans to help their cash-flow.
It has resulted in Burton trimming their squad to 20 players and slashing their budget as they face up to the new season starting in 30 days’ time. They have also been badly affected by hospitality revenues from weddings and conferences at the Pirelli Stadium being halted.
Robinson says short-term help is on the way as League One clubs are due £174,000 this week from the Premier League as an advance of 50 per cent of the solidarity payment originally scheduled for January, with the rest following in October.
The EFL are helping out too, with £70,000 a month for clubs from their central funding pool – with several months up front.
But Robinson says more cash will be needed as there will be no gate money when games restart behind closed doors. He said: “I hope the Premier
League might see a way to giving clubs additional financial support. It is not a demand, it is a prayer really. “After a few months with no realistic gate income, most clubs are going to struggle to pay wages.
“The fact the Premier League have done a fantastic TV deal is to their credit. “There is nothing that says they have to help the lower clubs but we hope there might be a bail out. “These imminent monies are going to be used to pay the majority of staff over the next couple of months. “But for the majority of clubs it won’t solve the long-term problem. It is a short-term fix with such dramatic levels of income missing. “Clubs will have virtually zero income but salaries to pay.” Robinson has run Burton since 1995 and is trying to keep the club going with rookie player-manager Jake Buxton.
But it is not easy amid a range of issues, including forking out £100 per person each time their players and staff are tested for Covid-19. Robinson said: “Covid has probably cost us £750,000 so far. We are fortunate a lot of our sponsors are going to support us next season. “We have put our season tickets on sale and the early bird price finishes this weekend. About 25 per cent have renewed so far.
“They can watch games streamed online and for any game played behind closed doors they can claim a refund.
“We are waiting to hear about Government plans for hospitality. We have large areas of hospitality where accommodating fans wouldn’t be a problem. We class it as no different to a restaurant. “We were also told we couldn’t issue match-day programmes – there doesn’t seem to be any logic to not being able to do so and we are challenging that. “But until fans are allowed into venues without limitations it is going to be a struggle.”