West Ham Loses 2 Million Pounds Per Match Without Spectators

Illustration of West Ham United winger Andriy Yarmolenko (right) firing a shot to score the winner over Chelsea (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - West Ham United lost 2 million pounds (around Rp37.5 billion) per match because spectators were prohibited from attending matches amid the COVID-19 pandemic, said the deputy chairman of the Premier League club Karren Brady.

Spectators have not been allowed to attend matches since England professional matches resumed in June, leaving clubs in trouble and lower league teams needing financial rescue packages from the top flight.

"This is fatal for everyone. West Ham lost 2 million pounds per game due to lost ticket revenue and company revenue. Some clubs lose as much as 10 million pounds per game," Brady told the BBC as quoted by Antara, Thursday, November 19.

"Everyone suffers but like smaller businesses, whether football or not football, they don't have much money to spare and that's what happens to the smaller football clubs."

Brady said he was frustrated that outdoor stadiums were closed to limit the spread of COVID-19 but the match was being shown in theaters, adding that "the atmosphere is suffering" without an audience present.

"We can't have our supporters who literally make football exist, but you can watch the game in theaters, the O2 opens, the Royal Albert Hall opens, the London Palladium is open but without a roof, a stadium that is not COVID-free," he added.

"We are asked in early March before we allow supporters to enter. We must do everything to make people feel safe, give the government confidence that we can provide a safe stadium for COVID-19."