The COVID-19 pandemic has affected football activities. Among the most hit is the top five European football leagues, which have a large following across the world.
For more than two months, the English Premier League, Italian Serie A, and La Liga have been suspended. But they are now planning on restarting in June. On the other hand, the German Bundesliga has already resumed, while France decided to end Ligue 1 early.
The effect of the pandemic means that the 2019/2020 season will be remembered for a very long time. What will make it memorable?
Matches in Empty Stadiums
One of the reasons why millions across the world watch the top five European football leagues is because of the passionate fans who fill the stadiums. They create a lively atmosphere that motivates players and even the fans watching on television. However, that has already changed due to the pandemic.
Matches in the Bundesliga are now getting played without the fans in the stadium. Other leagues that are planning on resuming will also follow the same trend to help contain the virus.
Playing matches without the fans is a new thing that will not be forgotten for many years to come. That is because there is no season ever since the World War that leagues have been forced to play without the fans.
The loss of fans has also resulted in lost home advantage. Fans are responsible for making the home ground intimidating for the visiting team. But now, they are watching the game on TV or following it live in an online casino.
Winning Titles and Getting Relegated without Completing a Season
The climax of European football is usually in May and June when the season comes to an end. Champions are determined during this time, and those going on relegation become known. While this may still happen for some of the leagues, it will not happen for others.
Among the leagues affected is the French Ligue, which decided to end the season early. The move resulted in PSG getting crowned as champions while Amiens and Toulouse got relegated even though ten games were remaining. The same happened in the Belgian Pro League, where Club Brugge became champions, and Waasland-Beveren got relegated.
Such a dramatic ending to the season has not been witnessed since the World War. The 2019/2020 season will, therefore, be remembered in the coming years. The decisions have resulted in some teams complaining because they feel that ending the season in such a manner is not fair.
The unusual ending to the season has also affected betting companies that generate revenue through football betting. They have been forced to rely on casino games such as slots for profit.
Conclusion
The pandemic has affected the most-watched European football leagues. Matches are now played in empty stadiums. It has also resulted in the premature ending of the 2019/2020 season for some of the leagues. This has affected any online casino that depends on football betting for revenue. At the moment, such casinos have to rely on other games, such as slots, for profit.
