Cash starved FA aiming for August 8 final
THE FA Cup Final has been pencilled in for Saturday, August 8, though a midweek date of August 5 is also under consideration, but it is still expected to be the final game of the season as part of the Premier League’s Project Restart.
The Premier League is mindful of the FA’s acute financial situation, with the cancellation of Euro 2020 and all summer events at Wembley, which make finishing the FA Cup this season crucial if the governing body is to stem some of its huge financial losses due to the coronavirus shutdown.
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham has already said that the national governing body will lose more than £100million due to coronavirus and cutbacks could be made to grass roots programmes.
England manager Gareth Southgate has taken £1m pay cut on his £3m-a-year salary whilst senior management have taken 15 per cent pay cuts.
The FA will act in concert with the Premier League and only start competitions if the Government deem it safe with more talks expected with the deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam this week.
But both organisations are aware that they need to help each other in the face of the crisis.
The Premier League required flexibility from the national federations and UEFA to cancel Euro 2020 to allow the possibility of finishing domestic leagues.
However, the FA face a huge financial black hole with no major events now scheduled this summer.
The Daily Mail has reported that TV agency IMG, who negotiated £575m of the £820m FA Cup contract with overseas broadcasters, have withheld a payment relating to the quarterfinals, because none of the four ties took place as scheduled.
However, if the FA Cup were to finish, the FA may yet get the bulk of their money for this year’s TV deals.
Bullingham has high-lighted the financial problens the FA are dealing with.
He said: ‘We have taken an immediate and significant financial impact due to the postponement of England internationals, FA Cup matches and Wembley events and there is no clear timescale on when they will return. The total financial impact is forecast to be around £100m but it could easily exceed £150m depending on the duration of the government’s necessary medical measures.
‘We are proposing all employees earning £50,000 or more per annum will take a temporary pay reduction of 7.5 per cent.
‘In the spirit of those on higher salaries taking the greater responsibility, the senior management team have agreed to cut their pay by 15 per cent, with the highest earners in the organisation agreeing to reduce their pay by up to 30 per cent.’