30 March 2020 – Premier Soccer League (PSL) players will continue receiving their salaries despite the indefinite suspension of games.

It’s unclear when life will get back to normal in SA, let alone when the games will resume as the country tries to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Only after the end of the lockdown on April 16 can the league start to even think about resuming. The conclusion of the Absa Premiership has been pushed back from May 9 to June 30.

Most top flight clubs depend on the R2.5m monthly grant from the PSL to pay wages and to cover other expenses.

PSL acting chief executive Mato Madlala confirmed that clubs will continue receiving their grants, enabling them to pay salaries even though most of their employees are unable to do what they are paid for during the lockdown .

“Clubs will continue receiving their grants from the PSL. Even if the season runs until June it will not be a problem because clubs receive the grant every month throughout the year,” Madlala told Sowetan.

Around the globe some clubs like Juventus in Italy have asked their players to accept salary cuts for the next few months due to the economic impact of the suspension of games in Europe.

Unlike most leagues, the business model of the PSL is a bit different as clubs receive a grant from the mother body. At their last annual general meeting (AGM) in November, their financial statements showed that an amount of R616m worth of grants had been paid to the 32-member clubs. Clubs in the GladAfrica Championship are given R500,000 per month.

Black Leopards owner David Thidiela also confirmed that his players would continue receiving their salaries.

“The players will not be affected by this; they will continue getting their money. The whole country is under lockdown and we will take care of our people,” he said.

Many clubs have created fitness programmes for players to follow at home.

(source: Sowetan)