I wonder how much an influence the epidemic has had on the development of the 'Super League Concept'?
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An interesting question, as I think that it has facilitated - in the complete absence of fans - a mental move away from having to consider (or take into consideration) the needs, or wants of (local) fans (or other inconvenient concepts such as tradition, or geography, or rootedness in the community) when deciding on best possible future plans (from the perspective of revenue generation) for the team.
The pandemic showed club owners that they could forego gate receipts entirely as a source of revenue, - and that teams could play and generate revenue in the absence of crowds
Prior to the pandeic, crowds were important because the "atmosphere" of the stadium with fans on match day was something that could be marketed as part of the "experience", and, I would argue, that fans mattered more for "atmosphere" than for monies made from gate receipts.
But, the pandemic has demonstrated that they don't matter at all, - not economically, (gate receipts), not for "tradition, experience, atmsphere" (which was their key remainig role pre-pandemic) and, therefore, can easily be dispensed with.
In other words, it has served to sever (to an even greater extent) whatever slim ties still remained between teams and their (local, community based fans, fans based in the region, city, town - or country - where the team plays), and has allowed club owners to dispense with fans - and disregard what they say and what they think - entirely.
Deeply depressing.
Elsewhere, something that would have generated headlines and endless excited commentary, less than twenty years ago, the fact that The Special One (Mr Mourinho) has been (inevitably) fired - or sacked - by Spurs has hardly made a ripple.
Yes, the Super League is a bigger story, but, even without that, Mr Mourinho himself - whose best days as a manager are well behind him - has become little more than a bitter foot-note in the chronicle or saga of this season.
