The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Club can stream games – but will take financial hit
Chairman Bill Clark insists Raith Rovers have the technology in place to stream behind closed door games to supporters – but admits the club will take a financial hit.
Rovers are planning towards an October start date for the Championship, with tentative consensus among the clubs that a curtailed 27-game campaign would be viable.
Unless Covid-19 safety guidelines are massively altered in the coming months, fixtures are initially likely to be played without fans or – at best – in partially empty stadiums.
However, Clark says Raith are confident they can follow in the footsteps of Premiership clubs by offering live coverage of matches to all of their 2020-21 season ticket holders.
The Fifers are likely to put those briefs on sale next month.
He said: “We already have the Pixellot camera installed at Stark’s Park and I’m told we can use our Raith TV to produce commentary for that.
“We would be offering that as part of our season ticket package when they go on sale.
“It will probably be around another month before we launch that campaign, but our season tickets will give access to the streaming of behind closed doors games.
“We feel comfortable that we can do it.
“I’ll be honest – it won’t be financially viable.
“Playing football behind closed doors won’t wash its face in terms of the costs.
“But we’ll just deal with that shortfall.” Clark, meanwhile, has confirmed Rovers are working under the assumption the status quo will continue in the Championship next season, until told otherwise.
SPFL clubs have been asked to indicate their thoughts on a 14-10-10-10 structure for next term by Monday as reconstruction talks continue.
And Clark said: “We are planning for things to stay the same – a 10-team Championship. We need to do that, otherwise we would be stuck in limbo, waiting.
“The most likely outcome at the moment is a 27-game Championship, with the league starting in October. That’s what we are working towards.
“If that changes then we’ll roll with the punches and have a fall-back position.
“If we do get an October start date, we’ll be hoping to get our squad back by the middle of August or the start of September. That is flexible – it has to be, in the circumstances – but we’ve got a rough timeline.”