Coronavirus and WSC

[Satchmo Distel]

I'm wondering if we can constructively suggest ways to tackle these problems:

1) No sales from shops for 3 weeks after tonight. Permanent move to online only?

2) Material for articles given no football is taking place.

[delicatemoth]

1. Delay the next issue for two months (initially, likely longer)?

I'll say now that I am both happy and able to carry on paying my sub and patreon as normal whatever they do. I doubt too many are in that position though.

[G-Man]

Our weekly newspaper went on-line free this week, with requests for donations commensurate with the cover price or above, or to subscribe. It'll be boom or doom. And by boom, I mean bare survival.

[Satchmo Distel]

1. Delay the next issue for two months (initially, likely longer)?

I'll say now that I am both happy and able to carry on paying my sub and patreon as normal whatever they do. I doubt too many are in that position though.

Can they pause subs?

[gt3]

1. Delay the next issue for two months (initially, likely longer)?

I'll say now that I am both happy and able to carry on paying my sub and patreon as normal whatever they do. I doubt too many are in that position though.

As you say delicatemoth, happy to continue my subs even if they suspend for a while, including the podcast. But also, I do wonder how many others are able to do that...

[Patrick Thistle]

1) No sales from shops for 3 weeks after tonight. Permanent move to online only?

Newsagents can stay open. Supermarkets still have their magazine aisles. Isnt it available in Tesco?

2) Material for articles given no football is taking place.

There's a lot of people stuck at home wothout much to do. Will a deluge of unsolicited articles be unleashed?

[Patrick Thistle]

I don't mind if they skip an issue. I won't be demanding recompense.

[Nocturnal Submission]

I don't mind if they skip an issue. I won't be demanding recompense.

Absolutely. I've been subscribing for a couple of decades or so. More than happy for the magazine to do whatever it needs to do to try to get through the next few months as best it can.

[1974ddr]

Same here as regards subs and patreon. Still hope WSC can continue with paper editions, though. I have no idea how these things are organised- is it practicable to suspend production, or is this likely to lead to further problems? If a couple of issues have to be 'played behind closed doors', so be it- I won't be demanding a refund on my season ticket!

[Sam]

I was asked to write something for the next issue, had an email from Andy last week to check I was still okay to write it and get it in to him by Friday, and submitted it an hour or two ago (on Saturday, because I got my days mixed up). Didn't hear from him during the week to say plans had changed, though of course he might simply not have had the chance to let me know.

[Satchmo Distel]

I could see them having enough material for the next issue but not the one(s) after. They presumably can't do season reviews at this point and there would be problems doing the preview edition if promotion/relegation decisions are delayed.

I wonder also if they had solicited Euro 2000 preview material which is now postponed or cancelled? The issues with season and Euros previews and reviews would normally be among their best sellers.

OTOH they could get their club correspondents to contribute to a "how is your club handling the crisis?" edition, and it's a good time to survey the future of the game generally.

[Gangster Octopus]

I wonder also if they had solicited Euro 2000 preview material which is now postponed or cancelled?

Or just hopelessly out of date...

[fatbear]

There is plenty of potential material for the next couple of issues. Perhaps they could commission features on the leagues which are playing eg Belarus, Nicaruga and Burundi, and Tajikstan start their season at the weekend. They could maybe have a report on the friendlies being played in Sweden, and the fourth/fifth division British players having to return home from their. Maybe an article on playing behind close doors in Australia and the two sides who went into 14 day self isolation in vain, or what it was like playing Serie A behind closed doors. What about countries that don't have the virus yet who aren't playing eg Sierra Leone, Lesotho etc. China, Japan and South Korea are hopefully soon coming to the end of the cycle, when are they likely to start their seasons etc.

They can fill pages on speculation of how the leagues/cups will end their seasons, what the impact will be on the game in the future, how to save clubs from going to the wall, the impact of delaying the EUROs and the Olympics to 2021, tributes to any players who have succumbed to the virus, praise for worthy actions by clubs/players/staff during the crises ( and the opposite of poor examples eg Jack Grealish etc ). Analysis of other times when football stopped for what reason eg weather, wars, govt bans etc

I like the suggestion of "How are you club handling the crisis ?"

There plenty of good stuff waiting to written !

[E10 Rifle]

I submitted something yesterday. Printing going ahead as normal, as far as I understand

[ad hoc]

[Satchmo Distel]

Overseas subscriptions are suspended but you still get access to the digital archive

https://shop.wsc.co.uk/wsc.html

https://shop.wsc.co.uk/digital.html

[1974ddr]

There is plenty of potential material for the next couple of issues. Perhaps they could commission features on the leagues which are playing eg Belarus, Nicaruga and Burundi, and Tajikstan start their season at the weekend...

They're still playing in Nicaruga?!!!

[Sean of the Shed]

The jokes on the front just get worse, don't they?

[Aitch]

Some of the most interesting articles in a long while!

[fatbear]

They're still playing in Nicaruga?!!!

Yep, there's a full programe of Clausura fixtures over the weekend. It seems to be another country with a strong arm dictator where any dissent isn't welcome......I read that one side ( Diriangen ) played one match with players wearing face masks and rubber gloves ( except the keeper ! ) in protest, but all the other teams are continuing as normal

[Capybara]

Some of the most interesting articles in a long while!

Indeed. I have a copy of that map somewhere, so I'm looking forward to the article.

[Hot Orange]

Indeed. I have a copy of that map somewhere, so I'm looking forward to the article.

Me too. Used to spend hours staring at it.

[Ray de Galles]

Indeed. I have a copy of that map somewhere, so I'm looking forward to the article.

I have one on my wall, it's one of my favourite works of art ever :



I was going to resubscribe anyway given the current circumstances but that has prompted me to do so immediately.

[treibeis]

I'm not taking a pop at WSC or anybody else here, but:

If you're worried about WSC going under because there aren't enough articles, then why not write something? The worst that can happen is that they don't print it.

[Jon]

More red-hot late 80s Scottish football articles. Am looking forward to reading about the Hibs Hearts merger. I distinctly remember John Leslie wearing a Hands off Hibs shirt on Blue Peter.