Data Map: The European Super Cup was held in Istanbul, Turkey. Liverpool defeated Chelsea through a penalty shootout 7: 6 to win the European Super Cup this season.
Chinanews.com client Beijing, April 16 (Wang Hao) With the spread of the new coronavirus worldwide, most sports events are shut down, and with it, unavoidable financial problems. The sudden epidemic uncovered the gorgeous mask of professional sports and revealed the essence of the "business" behind the major leagues.
Looking at the family business is actually "bad money"
In early April, the World Motor Sports Council formally approved a series of adjustments to F1 regulations in response to the huge impact of the new coronary pneumonia epidemic, including provisions to continue using the 2020 racing chassis and other components to reduce costs in 2021.
In addition, McLaren, Williams and other teams have also announced salary cuts to cut costs in order to maintain long-term positions of staff.
The Formula One World Championship, regarded as the "most money-burning sport", began to find ways to reduce expenditures under the impact of the epidemic. This illustrates the status quo of professional sports from one aspect: many clubs that seem to have big careers and big businesses are also "poor" when facing a sudden shutdown ...
On March 13, local time, the FIA official website issued an announcement, deciding to cancel the F1 season opener originally scheduled for March 13 to 15 in Australia. The picture shows the track referee packing up his luggage after hearing the news.
Under the influence of the epidemic, the Premier League Liverpool Club decided in early April to list some employees as temporary suspension. According to relevant policies, temporarily suspended employees will receive 80% of the salary from the British government and Liverpool pays another 20%. These employees can still receive full salary.
However, this decision has caused dissatisfaction among some media and the public, who believe that Liverpool should not use taxpayer money to reduce club expenses. Especially in recent years, Liverpool's business has been booming. In the 2018-19 financial year, the club's total revenue reached 533 million pounds, second only to Manchester United and Manchester City, ranking third in the Premier League.
Eventually, Liverpool Club CEO Peter Moore issued an open letter announcing the withdrawal of this decision and apologizing for it.
When people are surprised by transfer fees of hundreds of millions of euros, chartered flights every three to five, and increasingly large and luxurious stadiums, professional sports are not only a sea of spectators, but also a vast vault. Unexpectedly, all the hustle and bustle came to an abrupt halt due to the epidemic situation, but everyone became unexpectedly "strapped."
Data Map: The European Super Cup was held in Istanbul, Turkey. Liverpool defeated Chelsea through a penalty shootout 7: 6 to win the European Super Cup this season.
Professional sports are not all rich people
With the increase in broadcast fees and advertising fees in recent years, people have an impression of professional leagues with greater influence-rich. The sports stars who often spend a lot of money seem to play the role of witnesses.
But in fact, in the field of professional sports, there are many less profitable events, less well-known athletes, and a large number of ordinary practitioners. Under the impact of the epidemic, the small role usually away from the spotlight was pushed to the focus of contradiction.
On the evening of March 30th, Beijing time, La Liga Barcelona FC announced that the club ’s board of directors and all professional team players will reduce their salaries by 70%. In addition, Barcelona ’s first team football players will receive a greater salary reduction to ensure that other club staff can continue Receive full salary.
Data map: In the Champions League game, Manchester United sit at home against Barcelona. Image source: Osports All Sports Pictures
It can be seen that Barcelona's salary reduction policy is to reduce the salary of high-income employees during the epidemic to avoid the club's financial crisis and guarantee the income of low-income employees. Objectively speaking, this is a very user-friendly approach.
A wealthy giant like Barcelona can alleviate the crisis through internal adjustments, but it is difficult for many clubs to imitate this approach.
Foreign media reported that after the epidemic led to the suspension of the league, the NBA Jazz began internal layoffs. According to sources, the layoffs are mainly aimed at non-basketball related personnel, and some employees also have to accept salary reductions. The Celtics also fired hundreds of part-time staff at their home stadium.
Data map: Boston, United States, before the NBA Celtics at home against the Atlanta Hawks before the game.
The epidemic is at the forefront. The low-income athletes and staff in the professional sports field, just like ordinary wage earners, are affected not only by "life" but also by "survival."
Lack of love for "dollar pound"
Due to its "Secondary Two" attribute, professional sports make the audience look at it more perceptively. Loyalty, passion, friendship, and perseverance are all good stories to be commended. However, a sudden outbreak made more people realize that its essence is just "business".
The Zilina club of the Slovak Premier League has won the championship seven times in league history and has also stood on the stage of the Champions League. For the not-so-known Super League, Zilina can be described as "legendary".
However, under the impact of this new coronary pneumonia epidemic, Zilina experienced a crisis of survival. As a total of 17 players on the team refused to reduce their pay, the club angrily announced the termination of these 17 players, saying they lacked loyalty to the club.
Announcement on the official website of Zilina regarding the liquidation of assets by the club.
The termination of the contract caused Zilina to collapse almost instantaneously, the club announced that it had begun to liquidate assets, and foreign media even broke the news that Zilina had entered the bankruptcy liquidation process.
The plot of "one shot and two breaks due to refusal to cut the salary" is not exclusive to Zilina. After the season suspension, the NBA is actively looking for ways to deal with the impact of the epidemic, which may include reducing the salary of players.
However, the Nets player Ding Weidi said in an interview recently that if a salary cut does occur, the players will not return.
It is understood that there are doomsday clauses in the NBA labor agreement, which stipulates that in the event of force majeure, players will not receive full salary. Ding Weidi believes that if the bosses intend to use this clause, then this season is over, and no player is willing to continue the game with a shrinking income.
Data map: November 21, 2018, 2018-2019 NBA regular season: Miami Heat 92: 104 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Image source: Osports All Sports Pictures
Such an awkward situation in such a special period makes it difficult for an outsider to judge right and wrong. In the final analysis, the starting point of many people's actions is to protect their own interests.
Contracting is not a panacea
With the maturity of major professional sports leagues, various types of contracts are becoming more and more standardized, and the spirit of contract has become an important standard for measuring the behavior of athletes. But during the epidemic, people found that sometimes contracts and regulations did not solve all problems.
In the daily operation of various professional sports events, almost all contract disputes can be resolved by legal means. But right now, the event is directly shut down, and the income is about equal to being cut off. There are doomsday clauses in NBA player contracts, but there are similar clauses in other sports leagues and other types of contracts that require a big question mark.
For example, the Zilina club, if the rules in this area were sufficiently detailed when signing the contract with the player, then the player may not be so passive when asking the player to reduce the salary, and the team may not be in bankruptcy due to the termination of the player. .
Data picture: United States, 18/19 NBA Finals G6, Toronto Raptors Vs Golden State Warriors.
And even if there are relevant clauses in the contract, in extreme cases, it is difficult to be completely "relentless". After all, the "core property" of professional sports is athletes. Think about it. In the most difficult times, the management's iron fist cuts salaries. When the event resumes, can athletes still be desperate to "desperately" in the stadium?
Perhaps it can be understood that the violent epidemic has disrupted the original order of professional sports. Now, the positions held by all parties can no longer be judged by ordinary inertial thinking. Therefore, the salary reduction during the epidemic is basically carried out under the premise of consultation between the two parties.
Data map: On the evening of January 14, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, Shanxi Fenjiu stock player Morand (White) made a layup in the game. On the same day, in the 27th round of the Chinese Men's Professional Basketball League (CBA) regular season in the 2019-2020 season, Shanxi Fenjiu Co., Ltd. defeated Zhejiang Guangsha Holdings 119-109 at home. China News Agency reporter Wei Liangshe
On the 14th, CBA announced that the company's middle and senior management staff will take measures to reduce pay in response to the impact of the new coronary pneumonia epidemic. CBA said that it hopes to promote the friendly negotiation of salary cuts throughout the Union, "to ensure that every participant of the CBA family will survive the epidemic steadily."
This should represent the mood of most professional sports practitioners-hoping that the epidemic will dissipate as soon as possible, instead of tangling each other's "old accounts", but working together to look forward to the future "new accounts" of profitability. (Finish)