Experts already predict the possible consequences of the coronavirus pandemic in football

The application of long-term individual salary caps in European football, similar to those that work in American sport, is emerging as one of the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, according to expert Carlos Cantó, executive director of SPSG Consulting and member of the advisory council of the World Football Summit platform.

“It would be something similar to what already works in the American leagues and they would be based not only on percentages of the income of the clubs but on much more sophisticated parameters “, explained the sports marketing expert in an interview for the World Football Summit website, the platform for professional sports events.

Cantó was in favor of the competitions being resumed, even if it is behind closed doors, as long as the authorities guarantee that there is no risk to the health of the players, coaches and referees. “In most clubs, the main source of income does not reside in the stadiums and, furthermore, the fans are not just those who go to the stadiums. In this way, there would be contracts (media, sponsors, etc.) that could fulfilled to a greater extent, “he said.

Cantó considered that as in any crisis, “the door will be opened to new opportunities”, mainly eSports (electronic sports). “We are going to see a growth in the electronic versions of traditional sports and also that the border that separates the two is going to be diluted. A good example was seen in the recent #LaLigaSantanderChallenge or in the Bahrain Virtual Grand Prix, which had a notable following. in sports media. Both athletes participated, both footballers and pilots, “he said.

However, in his opinion, Electronic sports must overcome some challenges to be able to reach their maximum potential and he referred to the audience of this modality, which must monetize. “The audience for eSports is going to grow, but the challenge will continue to be to monetize that audience, since these competitions have so far been open. According to a study, the average annual expenditure of an eSports fan does not exceed $ 5, while that of American football or basketball is between 160 and 260 a year per fan, “he said.

WFS recalled that in the current situation, many Spanish and international clubs are processing Temporary Employment Regulation (ERTE) files these days due to the lack of economic income and the consequent inability to meet their expenses.

Although the estimate that the losses for the sports industry worldwide could reach 60,000 million euros, Cantó was optimistic about the future of the sports industry and recalled that according to statistics, 80 percent of the world population declares that they love sports and that this will not change despite the pandemic.