Premier League launches “Project Restart”

Hope for sportsbooks as the Premier League aims to resume play from June 8.

UK.- The Premier League has offered hope to sports betting firms by launching Project Restart.

The project aims to see English football matches resume in June.

Top clubs will meet on Friday (May 1) to discuss options for a June restart. The league hopes to restart on June 8 and finish at the end of July to fit Uefa’s European competition plans.

It means sports betting firms hurt by the Covid-19 lockdown could receive an intense five-week flurry of activity in the window available for the remaining fixtures to be played.

On Friday, The Premier League will debate which approved stadiums will be used to host games. All games would be held without spectators. There is also a suggestion that teams may play at neutral venues.

Arsenal, Brighton, Tottenham and West Ham have opened their training grounds to players for individual work this week but with strict limits in place.

Full training would need to begin by May 18 to allow for a June 8 restart.

A cross-party parliamentary working group has been set up to oversee Project Restart and the options available to allow teams to return to training.

UK Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said he was in contact with clubs about restarting the Premier League “as soon as possible”.

He has also suggested some matches should be screened on free-to-air TV.

The Premier League suspended matches on March 13 because of the Coronavirus pandemic.