The so-called European "Super League", independent of the longstanding UEFA Champions league, fizzled as quickly as it had exploded onto the stage this week as all six UK clubs withdrew their support from the competition. Football fans across Europe are breathing a sigh of relief, not least because they have dodged a very severe threat to Europe's most hotly anticipated competition: the UEFA European Football Championship. In a bid to punish the team's adhering to the project, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin had threatened that players participating in the parallel league would be banned from the Euro Cup this summer.
This was a severe threat indeed, since the UEFA Euro Cup sees the best players from 24 countries competing for their home nation. This year's event is even more intensely awaited after the event was postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic. Moreover, much speculation has surrounded the bid for a 2021 tournament, which UEFA insists will go ahead in line with the celebration of the championship's 60th anniversary.
A Euro Cup with a twist
If everything goes according to plan, Euro 2020 will take place between 11th June and 11th July 2021 across ten different host nations. UEFA has already committed revenue to all of its 55 member states, including €371 million in prize money, and is reportedly dipping into cash reserves to stay afloat after the pandemic took a hit to their bottom line. Given that the 'Big Five' European football leagues are estimated to have lost billions in revenue from last year's cancellation, the cash generated from sponsorship revenue and broadcasting agreements from the 2021 event is critical to the tournament's survival.Even so, it's clear that this year's tournament won't be at all like its predecessors. Decisions regarding spectator numbers and stadium capacity are still outstanding, but it's likely that stadiums will be filled to only 30% to 70% capacity, depending on which plan will be implemented, and that individual nations will host tournaments inside a bubble. Meanwhile, most host cities have already given assurances to fans that a minimum capacity for ticket-holders will be maintained, while UEFA is still waiting on government backing in Germany, Spain and the Republic of Ireland. FIFA executive Alexey Sorokin has warned there could be "surprises" ahead.
Arrangements for last season's UEFA Europa League and Champions League may shed some light on what to expect this summer. Last year, the raw emotion of footballers' celebrations rang out inside near-empty stadiums within strictly-enforced bubbles. Players and coaches gave post-match interviews standing on carefully measured and socially distanced markers, and pre-match press conferences took place remotely. Although the industry may be adjusting to new procedures, it is clear that the love of the game remains intact.
Tokyo 2021 sets an example
While the possibility of a restricted access or zero spectator Euro Cup is all but guaranteed, the disappointment of fans in no way spells the death of the tournament. After all, the Euro Cup isn't the only major championship facing new challenges this summer: a look at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics scheduled for July and August shows how a world-class event can go ahead despite adverse conditions, and even become an unprecedented success.Given the ongoing Covid-19 emergency, global travel restrictions and the emergence of variants, Olympic organizers have opted not to allow international fans to this year's events. Moreover, stadium capacity for domestic spectators will be capped at half, and even spectators for the arrival of the Olympic torch must pre-register for a place at each relay point. "It goes without saying that in an ideal world we would prefer to have international spectators at the Games," explains International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons, "but at the moment we must acknowledge that due to the global pandemic we are not living in an ideal world."
The other side of the coin, however, is that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are set to be the "most digital ever." The Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) plans to produce more than 9,000 hours of sport content over the 17-day Olympic period. Tokyo 2020's content production will be 30% greater than it was at Rio 2016 and it will also be the first to be executed in 4K HDR, all while keeping the production teams to a minimum. OBS Chief Executive Yiannis Exarchos is excited to showcase a wide range of new digital services and innovations to this global audience: "As a broadcaster and producer what really gets me excited is when you see technology being at the service of storytelling. I love technology but I love storytelling more".
A summer sport bonanza
Even if Japanese politicians have voiced their opinion that a cancellation of the Games is still on the radar, the digital focus of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) makes such a move not only unlikely, but also unnecessary. International ticketholders will, therefore, be refunded, while a portion of domestic audience has the opportunity to attend the Games under strictly controlled conditions. In the true spirit of the Olympics, the global community will share a front row seat thanks to OBS' most extensive streaming service to date. As the Tokyo Games motto states, spectators will be "United by emotion".The lesson here is more than obvious: both the Euro Cup and the Olympic Games are facing unprecedented challenges, but this is also an opportunity, rather than a cause for despair. Thanks to the tools of digitalization, athletes and the sport are being placed squarely at the front and center of the action, and the lessons learned during this will lead to even better tournament experiences in the years to come. In short, this summer is sure to be a veritable bonanza for sports fans, and a welcome sign of hope in these trying times.
