How Covid-19 Impacted Football Stadium Operations

FOOTBALL STADIUM OPERATIONS
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FOOTBALL STADIUM OPERATIONS
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected individuals' daily lives. Numerous industries have been impacted, among them being the football sector in the United Kingdom (UK). For the fans, enthusiasts, lovers, and followers of football leagues, there is no going to stadiums during major tournaments or matches. The UK government suspended fans from attending live matches to reduce overcrowding, facilitating the fast spread of coronavirus. The implemented regulations are necessary to prevent many people from being infected with COVID-19, which is a highly communicable disease. The virus that started in Wuhan, China, has spread to numerous countries and territories in the world. In that light, football enthusiasts and lovers are not allowed to enter stadiums during major leagues or football series. During lockdowns, football seasons were put on hold, and big matches were canceled on short notice when some players tested positive for coronavirus. Under normal conditions, football matches are very thrilling, with fans all over making noises when supporting their favorite teams. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly contributed to the football industry's evolution, particularly since stadiums do not generate revenues by selling tickets to the fans. The football industry's return to normality is unprecedented and unpredictable since it is not known when coronavirus will be eliminated. COVID-19 has adversely affected football stadium operations in the UK and football leagues, such as Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, and La Liga.
The UK government suspended outdoor sporting activities in mid-March 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic was rapidly spreading in England. Since that time, stadiums started restricting fans from attending live football matches since all forms of public gatherings were suspended to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Up-to-date, football enthusiasts watch football matches on the television since only players and few other individuals are allowed to enter stadiums to ensure that tournaments are broadcasted. The UK has numerous football fans, and millions of them do not fail to attend matches in their local areas. Additionally, 10% of UK fans travel for long distances to witness their favorite teams playing (Reade, Olczak, & Yeo, 2020). Some individuals from other countries go to the UK to attend live matches. The 2019/20 football season was significantly affected since numerous matches were postponed and stadiums closed completely. However, football clubs had to devise ways to ensure that the season continued despite fans' restrictions to the stadiums. In particular, about 180 matches were played in the UK between 7th March and 14th March 2020. Some of them include the European Champions League with a match between Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, and the League Cup Final at Wembley stadium (Reade, Olczak, & Yeo, 2020). The following graph shows the distribution of stadiums' percentage capacity in the 2019/20 season.
Figure 1: Fans Percentage Distribution Capacity in UK Stadiums in 2019/20 Season


As shown in figure 1 above, the stadium attendan...