Will the new season start on time (July 31st) and what should those who run the game be doing to ensure it does?
Reply #1
Name: Phil Williams
Team supported: Samut Prakan City
Twitter: @Ajarncom
As it stands, I don't think there's a cat in hell's chance, the season will start on the 31st July and I think we all know that don't we? The Covid situation in Thailand is getting worse, not better and you wonder just how much longer this is going to carry on for.
A month or so back, when a few of us discussed the beginning of the new season, I was the only one who predicted the season would start on January 8th next year. Everyone else seemed to favour starting the season on time and playing games behind closed doors before building up to 25% capacity, 50% capacity, etc. I'll admit that was a possibility but since then, interprovincial restrictions have been thrown into the mix so how can away teams even travel?
No, I'm going to stick with my January 8th prediction. The problem with this of course is that if we don't extend the season at the other end, we're going to have to scrap the two cup competitions and play two games a week like we did for several weeks last time out. This of course gives an unfair advantage to the clubs with bigger squads.
I'm chomping at the bit to watch Thai football again but I'm not optimistic. The TV deals all seem up in the air and some clubs must be seriously strapped for cash but what can we do? I'm sure the Thai FA will pull a few rabbits out of hats and we''ll get back to normal eventually. It's just a case of when.
Reply #2
Name: Russ John
Team supported: Nakorn Ratchasima
Twitter: @russreport
The immense repercussions of this are twofold in my opinion.
Firstly, the seemingly never ending lack of action will, I fear, lead to a lack of interest from "casual fans" which will in turn affect already moribund match attendances. This lack of interest could be amplified by the lack of an accessible and reliable TV coverage package, due it has to be said by the blatant ineptitude of the FAT leadership.
The second major problem that clubs will encounter and need to address, is of course, finances. Lack of gate money and merchandise income, combined with, presumably no or very little TV money, will hit those clubs without wealthy benefactors in a big way.
As if it could not get any worse, I fear a never ending and unfolding domino effect. Will sponsors without TV exposure continue to be patient ? - companies, with their incomes diminished due to covid, I doubt it. With the coffers empty, will clubs be able to afford crowd pleasing but expensive foreign imports,? again, I doubt it.
For a couple of wealthy clubs, it will be a walk in the park but who will they play. For a league already with a frankly unsustainable business plan, I can see many clubs going to the wall.
I suspect that the TPL will muddle through but I wonder whether a semi professional league with no foreign players could be the long term prospect for the TPL.
Reply #3
Name: Gian Chansrichawla
Website: thaileaguecentral.com
Twitter: @GianChansricha1
To be completely honest, I’m rather taken aback by the pessimism that I have seen so far. Yes, this is a far from ideal situation for the league, but I certainly don’t think it warrants predictions of imminent collapse and catastrophe.
At the time of writing, the start date has been moved until August 13th, and it isn’t hard to see more delays down the road too. However, we’ve seen the country move in and out of lockdown many times, and there simply isn’t enough desire from the public or government for restrictions - or at least those which make playing football impossible - to extend into 2022. I would be very surprised if the Thai League didn’t return to action later this year.
Additionally, even if the competition is delayed or stop-start, the Thai League has already submitted its entrants into the 2022 AFC Champions League so there should be no pressure to rush things as there was last time. Hopefully this means no major fixture congestion or the cancellation of cup competitions.
Questions about the start date need to be mentioned in tandem with the overall calendar. Many people already support returning to the old calendar format, which ran from February/March until October/November. I would like the new system to be tried once without problems or stoppages so we can accurately judge it in comparison with the old way, but if things do get bad again there should be no real issue with stretching next season and then beginning the one after in 2023.
Finances are correctly cited as a major problem and I do worry about many clubs in this respect. There have been many instances of unpaid wages across the divisions, and another extended period without any income streams could be highly problematic.
Thankfully we haven’t seen any overt signs of financial crisis in T1 yet, but the fact that it’s hard to gauge the extent of financial hardship, especially in lower tiers, both bothers me but makes it hard for me to add anything else.
In terms of the TV broadcast rights, it looks like ZENSE and the Thai FA are back at the negotiating table over a shorter-term deal, presumably with a smaller payment for clubs per year. I personally think that it might be time to show some ambition and abandon looking for a TV broadcast deal all together and go straight to an over-the-top streaming service, as has been discussed in relation to the English Premier League.
This excellent video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=u5jqCh3Eiq0 by Tifo Football explains how the Premier League could make significantly more money while charging considerably less by cutting out the TV broadcaster as a middle-man and providing a Netflix-like service directly to customers. This model could be tried in Thailand, through an app or online service (perhaps similar to AIS Play) which provides all the games for a monthly or yearly subscription at affordable prices.
To increase exposure, they could show select games on the popular free-TV channels, encouraging more fans to sign up for their own platform. This would also allow them to seamlessly expand into the ASEAN market, from which there is growing interest for the Thai League.
Tifo contends that, ultimately, “the future of football broadcasting there is digital, of that there is little doubt.”
Instead of constantly following and chasing from behind, it is time for the Thai League to turn crisis into opportunity and actually lead on something for once. This is a topic I hope to tackle more in future pieces too.
In summary, the delays and finances are causes for worry. However, Thai clubs are currently doing fine in the AFC Champions League, and there may be new opportunities on the horizon which the league can capitalise on and use to recover.
Reply #4
Name: Alec Peeples
Team supported: Chiang Rai Utd
Twitter: @abroadwithalec
I will agree with Gian on the point of unwarranted predictions of collapse and catastrophe. As you’ve said on this very blog - Thai football has been through many ups and downs and it remains. I don’t expect this time to be any different. I do think we can see Thai football return in 2021 - though we almost certainly won’t be watching matches in person. And that is the bigger question: do clubs prefer to start sooner but without fans, or wait until we can potentially have some amount of attendance at a later date? I don’t know the answer to this question but I have seen it debated several times.
I think we are all in agreement that the current delayed start to August is just the first of several. At the time of writing this, we have hit another daily record for cases and deaths and we are awaiting the announcement of more stringent restrictions in the “dark red” provinces. It can be assumed that these restrictions will last two weeks at a minimum, but it is safe to say two weeks will just be the start.
That said I think we can write off August and almost certainly September. October and beyond could potentially be salvaged with closed-door matches, assuming the provincial travel restrictions have eased and the FA can implement a sensible ‘vaccination and testing’ policy. For example, NBA star Chris Paul recently tested positive (despite being vaccinated) during the playoffs. He was able to isolate for 7 days, take a second test (which was negative), and rejoin his team (who continued playing while he was out).
It’s hard to imagine this happening quite as seamlessly in Thailand at the moment - a positive test would almost certainly result in the entire team being shut down for two weeks - and perhaps the recent opponents as well. And this is not considering the slow vaccine rollout that has not reached many staff and players. If Thai football is to return in 2021 we will not only need more urgency in the vaccination rollout, but also in the FA’s testing, tracing, and quarantine policy so that the league is able to carry on even with the inevitable positive tests.
The last piece of this puzzle is my biggest worry of all. In a Tap Room last year we all lamented the cost this was having on smaller clubs, lower league clubs, and academies. The Thai League juggernauts will suffer, but not collapse. Does this mean we are doomed to even more imparity in the league when the smaller clubs have to cut back salaries and other expenses? What about the future of the league? If the lower-tier clubs and academies continue to suffer from delays, shutdowns, and other financial woes what does this mean for the development of young players?
I don’t have these answers nor have I seen the concerns adequately addressed. All we as fans can do is support Thai football as much as possible - buy club merchandise, donate to academies, pick a T2 or T3 club to support. The Thai League, for all its ups and downs, has brought us all joy, memories, and a sense of community. Continued support is the least we can offer in return.
Reply #5
Name: Grant Aitken
Team supported: Muang Thong Utd
Twitter: @GrantMTU86
I’m in agreement with Russ, the FA are in a totally unenviable position. However, I think the worst course of action they could take would be inaction. I have heard that every player and staff member at professional clubs will have had to have at least 2 vaccines by the start of the season, and in many cases this has already occurred. Therefore, Thai football community is a slightly better position than the rest of the country. Although the club’s representatives still have a duty of care to others and need to take necessary precautions.
I also share the observations of Gian that the restrictions put in place by the government upon dealing with the Covid crisis are far from severe. Therefore, I would extremely annoyed if the tried to prevent the league starting in the near future, especially given the vaccinations that are taking place at a strong rate within the football community.
The league has been delayed already and I anticipate there will be further delays but it must start this year. As with Phil, I have resigned myself to the fact that I’ll be watching most matches through a TV screen, and I’m OK with that. I need my football, now more than ever. Safety is paramount but if other businesses are still able to operate throughout the country then it should be no different for the football clubs.
Similarly, to Alec I think the financial welfare of the club’s is paramount, but to answer his question, I believe most clubs would rather start behind closed doors and start clawing back some revenue via sponsorships. I agree that whilst the top 2 divisions will find a workaround to satisfy government restrictions, the grass roots level is where the most damage will be seen. There have been very few competitive matches played at any age groups since the initial outbreak begin in the country. There will be an entire generation of players lost due to inactivity if we are not careful. The FA needs to consider the development of these players as carefully as they will the country’s top stars as well. Limit travel and test regularly, but youth football needs to find a way to resume.
There are no short term solutions to the points well made so far in the column. But I am optimistic that an August/September start is achievable, even if it means the use of neutral venues or some tweaking of the fixture list to limit travel and exposure. The use of bubble systems to play a burst of fixtures, as we’ve just seen implemented in the ACL fixtures held in the country is another possibility. Eventually the nationwide vaccinations will ease the strain and allow football to resume at all levels for the start of next year too.
In the end I think it all comes down to money. We took a year and a half to complete a single season. If the same happens again then the loss of revenue is sizable. An extra year of paying salaries (admittedly reduced) whilst no money is moving the other way will have frustrated owners. I’d rather plod on behind closed doors than risk the long term health of clubs.
Reply #6
Name: Jamie Pinder
Team supported: Buriram Utd
Twitter: @nangronginfo
It’s difficult to know what to add to the comments that have been made already but the first priority of course is the safety of everybody involved in our lovely game. The start of the season has been delayed and undoubtedly will be delayed again.
How would people feel if the Thai football Association created four bubbles around the country where teams could be based for a home and away set a fixtures and then teams could move to different locations and play another set of group style games?
It’s not the greatest idea but if we don’t share ideas, we don’t feed off each other and come up with suitable solutions. In the end the season will start late, probably around October or November if not later and will almost realign itself with the old season which we preferred, generally.
As fans we won’t be seeing any live football for quite a while But that’s the world we are living in right now.
My hope would be that the Football Association communicate the updates regularly with the fans and communicate clearly what their plan is. Thai football needs its fans as much as any other league and we have some fabulous fans here.
I sincerely hope that when we can start the season and the fans can go to the grounds it will all start with a bang and we’ll find a way to entice the fans to come back en masse.
Reply #7
Name: Tommie Duncan
Team supported: Port
Twitter: @TJRDBKK
When will the T1 season begin? With the current surge in cases and the lack of a proper TV contract, I’d say we are looking at very late this year or even perhaps the “regular” starting time of February.
I must confess that I’m far less bothered about it this season. The constant changes, uncertainty, and the continuing glorification of personalities that have little to nothing to do with the actual play above players and coaches is getting tiresome and boring. While it was refreshing to read the “young ‘uns” (Gian and Alec) positive takes on the league and its future, some of us that have been following it for a decade or more have seen opportunities for growth squandered and false starts not quite getting over the line. A league that should enjoy widespread popularity just treads water or flounders.
As Alec pointed out, it will survive, of course, but in what form? Will it be reduced to a handful of teams with wealthy owners simply enjoying their hobby? And Gian, do you really think there is enough interest for a TV subscription model? I’m not so certain. And if the lower divisions fold, what then?
The league needs strong leadership, one that has the stones to stand up to wealthy owners and make decisions that might be unpopular with them but good for the league. Don’t think there is anyone in line who is wealthy or influential enough to take that heat. So, I think we are in for more of the same. Diminishing returns for sure.
One positive note for the league is BKK Glass. Best squad I have seen since the Burriram squad of ’11. They should be exciting to watch. Don’t see much competition for them this season. They will be fun to watch.
Reply #8
Name: Ta Lao
Website: thaileaguecentral.com
Twitter: @ta_lao19
With the Euros and AFC Champions League now done and dusted, the waiting game for the new Thai League season begins. The FA has decided to ‘postpone’ the start date to August 13, 2021. Will that Friday the 13th be a fitting start to Thai League? Most fans seem to give this little to no chance, but it’s Thai football so I wouldn’t rule it out.
After speaking to a few football gurus and friends in the media, I’m told that the latest TV deal for the league is down to ‘two major corporations.’ The value of this deal will be significantly less than what it was agreed upon last October between Thai League and ZENSE but the clubs will still receive the same amount of money as promised.
But if I really had to guess, I think the league will start around October and end in late July. Some games will be on free-TV ie. Channel 5 or Channel 7 like we saw last year but most matches will be on paid-TV similar to what we had going with True Visions. Personally, I think all games should be on free-TV but I guess people have other ideas.
The FA, Thai League and clubs are in a sticky situation with what’s been happening in Thailand over the past year. Everybody doesn’t want the wait to continue but a lot of what’s going on is orders from above that needs to be obeyed. We know how that goes in Thailand.
So what can be done ?
Social media engagement. It’s very likely there will be no fans in attendance when football restarts. So it’s time for the league, the clubs and independent media outlets to boost as much engagement online as possible. Whether it’s coming up with new shows or just posting weekly updates, there needs to be some way to build up the hype among fans. If not, it’s going to be a season nobody bothers about.
We’ve seen how the lack of media coverage has negatively impacted the Thai national team ratings during the recent WCQ 2022 campaign. With rising COVID-19 numbers in Thailand, sports might be the medicine we all need.
I just hope everything works out well in the end. Stay safe and hope to see all of you at games in the future.
The Final Word
Name: Phil Williams
Team supported: Samut Prakan City
Twitter: @ajarncom
It's good to see that a few of us are optimistic about seeing the TPL start in this calendar year. I really can't see it myself because this is a government obsessed with low infection rates. 2-3,000 cases a day was labelled as a crisis and now we're up near the 10,000 a day with Thailand seemingly no idea on how to get things under control. It really is a miserable situation.
Russ (and one or two others) lauded the idea of a 'closed bubble' where perhaps several teams base themselves in one area and play a set of fixtures at one designated stadium (rather like we've been seeing in the ACL recently) It's an idea that might well work but I for one, just couldn't get excited about a bunch of games in a deserted Thunder Castle. I'm sure it would be different if your own team is involved but it still strikes me as a way to whizz through the fixture list as quickly as possible and won't pique the interest of the casual football fan. It certainly doesn't get me excited.
You guys are far more au fait and in touch with any potential TV deals than I am, and it sounds like there will be something in the way of TV money filtering down to the Thai clubs, probably not as much as from past sponsorship packages but far better than nothing.
I pray things don't get so bad that Tommy's nightmare vision of the TPL "getting reduced to a handful of teams with wealthy owners simply enjoying their hobby?' Sometimes in a dark moment, I share the same vision as Tommy. A premier league with 8 surviving clubs all playing each other four times a season. Wouldn't that be just awful?
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