This report starts from two health premises widely shared by the international scientific community. The first is that mass events like public football will not be possible until there is an effective vaccine against Covid-19. The second is that such a vaccine, in the most optimistic forecasts, will not be available for large-scale distribution, at the earliest, before the first quarter of 2021.

From here, modest football looks over the abyss. If in First and Second the income from television rights allows the wheel to continue turning even if the stands are empty, from Second B onwards the competition seems unsustainable without the income derived from the presence of the public in the matches. And beyond the absolutely capital economic question, another question hangs over the clubs: Does it make sense to play in these categories if no one - or almost - will be able to watch the games? Most of the consulted clubs think not.

The RFEF already works in a scenario that each time charges more signs of becoming real. At the moment, however, he does it with discretion and calm, since the priority is to decide how the current season will be solved in Second B and Third, a decision that will be made this week. Luis Rubiales' intention is for there to be promotions - via direct or through the express playoffs - but not decreases, which could lead to a 98-team Second B, 18 more than now. And from there different proposals arise to restructure the category, such as creating a fifth group or even an intermediate division between Second and Second B.

Once the new competition model is outlined, it will be time to open the melon on how to approach the next course with the expectation that there will be no public in the fields until 2021. The ERTE and the aid package approved by the RFEF for the Modest football will make almost all the clubs close the year without excessive shocks even if no more games are played, as it seems it will be. But the certainties end there. "The teams have no idea how to budget for next year. Budgets begin to take shape between April and May every year, but right now they don't know what to put in, whether to include a box office and a bar, how much to put in sponsorships ... There is a lot of confusion, "explains David Jiménez , president of ProLiga, an association that It encompasses more than 200 Second B and Third clubs.

Bars, static advertising ...

The games behind closed doors would not only mean the loss of income at the box office and season tickets, but also others that are associated with the presence of the public in the fields, such as those of bars and ambiguous and the static advertising and the T-shirt of the players, because no company will pay for ads that no one will see. And the fees for children's schools, which are unlikely to be active in the coming months.

In some clubs, especially those that do not have agreements with regional or local television , the sum of all these concepts can account for 80% of the budget. “Even if it was played with the public, we were going to have a lot of difficulty keeping the amounts committed by the sponsors, due to the crisis that many of them are going through. Behind closed doors, everything falls to us », regrets Gustavo Falqué , president of the Coruxo de Segunda B, who is in favor of not starting the competition until there is fans in the stands.

The rest of the budget is completed, fundamentally, with subsidies from the RFEF -which Rubiales has already guaranteed continuity- and from public institutions, another accounting entry in question. "There are clubs whose municipalities have already warned them that they are going to allocate that money to other issues such as social protection, which of course we understand perfectly, but it is budgeted money that they will not be able to count on," warns Jiménez.

Having said all this, the big question: Is it feasible for these categories to be played behind closed doors? Technically it is, but the scenario would have to be drastically changed. Third-party players would have to move to almost zero budgets, with players charging just enough to cover expenses. It wouldn't make much sense, ”they reflect on ProLiga. "60% of the clubs are not going to be able to keep up without a box office or subscriptions, some will not have money or to buy shirts", warns Joaquín Parra , president of Badajoz, of Segunda B, who advocates a restructuring of the competition that gives rise to a new professional category below Second.

Other clubs, despite everything, are optimistic. “For the competitions to continue, it is essential to continue playing, even if it is behind closed doors. I think that economically, by reducing variable costs, we could bear it », thinks Mitxelo Gómez , president of the Santutxu de la Tercera vasca. “If we have to spend a year playing without people, we will. On the other hand, if we decide not to play, the club dies, "believes José Manuel Martínez Laruelo , the top leader of Siero de la Tercera Asturiana.

And beyond the economic issue is health. If the CSD protocol is already difficult in some respects for professional clubs, for those that are not, it is practically impossible. "As long as there is no public, it will be a sign that the pandemic is not solved. For me, the health of the players and coaches is paramount and we do not have the capacity or facilities to preserve it, "says Javier Landeta , president of the Leioa de Segunda B.

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