Could Virtual Admission Soon be a Reality?

One of the many inventive ways that clubs have come up with to raise funds in the past few weeks has been to offer virtual admission to supporters, whether for scheduled matches that couldn’t take place (spectators being invited to donate what they would normally have paid on the day) or for viewing classic matches online.

That has stretched out into a wider fundraising drive with the chance to have a stadium named after you (Frome Town) or be assistant manager for the day (FC United of Manchester).

The response has been overwhelming in many cases as supporters have rallied to the cause and not just of their own clubs. Tranmere Rovers fans, for instance, have donated to South Park FC who they played previously in the FA Trophy.

On behalf of the club we would like to thank the @TROSC_TRFC for your kind donation towards our target. The messages of support from the SWA have been fantastic.@TranmereRovers@SouthernSWA1 @NicolaPalios https://t.co/wmEMLzY1KU

— South Park FC (@South_ParkFC) April 23, 2020

But, as the phrase 'a new normal' is being heard more and more, clubs do look set to be playing games behind closed doors and perhaps not just at the professional level either.

I'm wondering if I was too optimistic in last week's post on pre-season friendlies as there is even talk of no football below the National League in England being played until 2021 and a BBC article on the way ahead quotes a league official at that level as saying there would be 'no point' in matches behind closed doors.

But that, to me, under-estimates the determination of clubs, volunteers and supporters to find a way through.

In the EFL charging supporters to watch matches online has become more commonplace over the last couple of years but will non-league clubs in England and those at lower levels in Scotland be able to offer something similar, if more basic?