COVID-19 and Professional Sporting Leagues: European Football

ABSTRACT

In Chapter 5, the authors argue that the global pandemic helped unmask the fragile financial position of professional football in Europe. This chapter shows how some clubs have been pushed to the financial brink – following the lockout of match day crowds – for a great deal of the 2020–2021 season. Specifically, as leagues were shut down across Europe, the authors highlight that league and club revenue streams dried up extremely quickly, resulting in significant cash flow problems for these entities. © 2023 selection and editorial matter, Stephen Frawley and Nico Schulenkorf;individual chapters, the contributors.