Today the Premier League issued a statement that included confirmation of a 30% wage cut for footballers in an effort to help their club during these trying times. The meeting also included information around continued conversations on how to best resolve this season.
Efforts will still be made to complete the season once we reach a point “when it is safe and appropriate to do so”. This will not be at the beginning of May as they had hoped, but assure people that date is under constant review.
Premier League on wage cuts:
“In the face of substantial and continuing losses for the 2019/20 season since the suspension of matches began, and to protect employment throughout the professional game, Premier League clubs unanimously agreed to consult their players regarding a combination of conditional reductions and deferrals amounting to 30 per cent of total annual remuneration.”
This request is coming after Newcastle and Tottenham placed their employees on furlough, largely in an effort to reduce their own personal losses.
Shortly after this announcement Arsenal issued their own statement addressing the football calendar, ticketing, and Arsenal staff.
On their staff:
“Most of our staff continue to work from home. Our sites at Emirates Stadium, London Colney and Hale End remain closed, other than a small number of staff who are making sure our pitches and sites are secure and ready for when we return to action. We continue to follow all government guidance.”
“Arsenal in the Community have found ways to continue their great work through our initial response and we remain working with our local London authorities, the NHS in the UK, and Save The Children in order to explore ways we can support local and worldwide communities.”
A reminder that before this, Arsenal had openly agreed to pay all of their non-playing staff wages despite the lack of games.
It is a little early to say how players will react to this wage cut, but they seem to be accepting of it and looking for ways to help during this crisis – donations, messages to their followings, following guidelines (for the most part…Grealish?).
The Premier League has a really nice piece on the efforts that clubs are making in response to COVID-19. Arsenal’s list includes:
- Double Club educational materials for home schooling
- Staff in regular contact with vulnerable young people
- £100,000 given to charities and cars made available to mental health workers
- Foundation distributes £50,000 to Islington Giving’s Emergency Fund
- Club cars taking NHS workers from home to work
- Supporting Job Centre Plus to fill vacancies and with e-learning
- Phone calls to elderly and food collections made
- Digital support for vulnerable young people
- GO And Learn with Arsenal: Free access to language app
For now, we will have to wait a little longer for football to come back and a little longer to see the overall effects this will have on the end of the season, transfer windows, club’s ability to spend or sell during window, and any other unforeseeable outcomes. In the meantime, stay home and save lives.
Gunner Thoughts 