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in, which impacts on gate receipts and stadium sponsorship deals.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has already admitted he is hopeful that some fans will be allowed in next season.
Speaking last week, Masters said: “No one knows when matches will move away from the behind-closed-doors model.
“It’s right to have contingency plans in place, but there is optimism at the Premier League and at clubs that we will start to see fans back in the stadiums next season.”
The Government initially warned that fans may not be allowed in for all of next season or until a vaccine is found, but other countries in Europe – including Spain – are already making plans to get supporters in.
THEY have started planning for next season – even before finishing the current campaign.
That probably underlines the growing confidence in Project Restart and being able to play out the remaining 92 Premier League fixtures.
And the 20 clubs even gave the green light yesterday to start next season in the second weekend of September, on the
12th and 13th.
It will mean August remains blank for Premier League games and players will get a three-week summer break with a mini two-week pre-season factored in before the 2020/21 campaign.
And there is now real optimism of getting a limited number of fans into stadiums next season.
The mood has changed to positive and that was borne out in yesterday’s Premier League meeting.
The extra substitutes rule was voted through by 16-4 in
of having nine players on the bench – five of whom can go on as subs – after FIFA gave domestic leagues permission to use more players amid fears of injury with the extra games.
It is understood even some of the bigger clubs had reservations about this because not everyone has a deep squad. “Can you imagine keeping it tight against Liverpool for 70 minutes, the game is 0-0 and then they send for the cavalry?” said one club executive.
The game can still only be stopped on three occasions to bring on the subs, while there is also a move for drinks breaks in the summer.
The other significant development was on neutral venues as a source said there was a “broad agreement” that some games might have to be that way.
It was a bone of contention, particularly around Liverpool fixtures, but their Merseyside derby on the first weekend back now seems certain to be played at Goodison Park on
Sunday, June 21, at 7pm. The TV fixtures are still being thrashed out largely because of trying to cram in seven midweek games after the first weekend as the four FA Cup quarter-finals are being played on the weekend of June 27-28.
The whole list of the first games – with Spurs set to play Manchester United on Friday, June 19 at 8pm, following Aston Villa v Sheffield United (6pm) and Manchester City v Arsenal (8.15pm) on Wednesday, June 17 – is likely to be revealed today.
But the number of potential neutral venues is now down to as few as two and more likely to involve London derbies – potentially Tottenham v West Ham – than any Liverpool game, although Jurgen Klopp’s trip to Manchester City could be another.
Other games are beginning to leak out, with Watford v Leicester likely to be on BT Sport on June 20, at 12.30pm, while the BBC has Bournemouth
v Crysfavour tal Palace pencilled in at 7.45pm. Aston Villa v Chelsea could be on June 21 at 4.30pm.
There is a growing belief that England games will also be factored into next season, with UEFA refusing to give up on the Nations League.
But the biggest frustration from the meeting was that no vote is now likely on what occurs if the worst happens and the season is curtailed.
Some Premier League clubs want a decision before the season restarts as they feel it is not fair to “make up the rules as you go along”.
But it is understood that the season will start with no set plan in place for curtailment.