Sport will always be played. Fans will always go and watch games being played and the best players will continue to be paid for their efforts. However possibly never to the same levels we have witnessed in the last three decades.
Over the weekend the excellent sports presenter Neroli Meadows, who was released by Fox Sports late last year, tweeted the following:
“I find it sadly ironic that so many of us are turning to streaming, television & movies in a time like this, yet our friends & family who work in the arts don’t qualify for #jobkeeper.“
Ms. Meadows hit the nail on the head.
One factor that many understandably fail to realise when they watch a play, a film or a sports broadcast is how many people are required to deliver that entertainment.
When the television companies were privately owned the majority of the staff were employed by the said television station. Once the television stations opted to be listed on the stock market and shares issued, in order to cut costs and make the station appear to be in a healthy state many of these staff were released, but then rehired as freelancers. No longer did Superannuation have to be paid, also there was no holiday pay to be paid or the inconvenience of holidays and maternity or paternity leave to cope with.
As a result of these cuts many Production houses were created around the globe, using that expertise that used to be fully employed by the Television stations. They now subcontract to the TV stations to bring us the live sporting action that we enjoy. Once again many of these Production houses employ people who they know and trust to carry out the work, but once again they tend to be freelancers.
The same is true in the entertainment world. Most actors are self employed freelancers. Musicians are the same. So too all of the sound operators, costume designers, camera operators, and make-up artists.
The argument against giving many of these sole traders and freelancers support is that they did not have a permanent employer, they did not have guaranteed work. Many were booked for events, but ad hoc events. They have now lost those engagements, yet that appears to count for nothing.
At a time when television stations are crying out for fresh content it is incredible to know that one station offered to take a documentary from an independent film maker, and stated that they planned to air it ten times in a year, but was not prepared to pay anything for that content!
How can the industry survive in such circumstances?
When the Coronavirus has petered out and we start to return to our normal lives we are going to want to go back to watching sport, go back to the theatre and to concerts, as we will have missed those experiences. Yet currently these industries are in grave danger, as few Governments have grasped that these skilled experts in their trade, are freelance or sole traders, and fall outside of the numerous Government assistance packages.
How many of these people will be prepared to remain in their industry? How many can afford to? How many will have found other work and will now opt for the safety of a regular salary?
While the highly paid athletes have been expected to take pay cuts and many of the overpaid CEO’s the same, why have none of the sports, or sporting teams looked to support those who fund them, the people who’s expertise takes their sport into living rooms around the world, onto mobile phones and laptops?
We have seen wonderful gestures by some of the stars of American sport paying the salaries of venue staff who will miss out on income while their competitions are on hold. Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League overnight did a backflip on the pay to their non-playing staff, revealing that they would now receive their full pay for April and May. Which would seem fair when one reads that their Chairman Daniel Levy earned UKL7million last year.
This came about as a result of pressure by the fans. Which is great to hear. The club statement confirmed the fact “We are acutely aware that many supporters were against the decision we made regarding furloughing staff who could not carry out their jobs from home.”
Some clubs have taken the step to still pay staff, while others who have stretched themselves beyond their means have opted to slash costs and have stood staff down. The rumour is that some of the big name clubs outside the English Premier League that have been forced to stand down staff have been calling other clubs asking them to do the same, for fear that they will look bad. Those clubs that are not having to take such actions, have argued that they have not overstretched themselves in search of success and therefore can afford to support their staff, so why should they betray those staff. Hats off to them.
When you hear this, it restores your faith in many of those clubs. It also makes sense as to why the clubs who have been so reliant on money from Television have not done anything to support those working in the broadcast space who are now out of work, with bills and families to support.
There is probably worse to come for many of these workers as when normal service is resumed, it is likely to be far from normal. Many Television stations are already discussing the cutting of budgets, therefore reducing the number of cameras used at games and lowering the number of staff required. Meaning less work in the industry.
Hopefully more people will become aware of the plight of those working in bringing the arts, movies, music and sport to our screens, and the various Governments globally will appreciate that many of these individuals and artists, all experts in their field, require support. So the next rerun of a show, a game, or piece of music you listen to during these times think of those who were part of creating it and making it possible for your to watch and listen to it.
There are those who help tell the story and their are those who act out the story. Both are crucial to each other, and even more so to those watching.
