Publications
Publications
- April 2021 (Revised April 2021)
- HBS Case Collection
Project Restart: Deciding the Future of English Football
By: Nour Kteily and Deepak Malhotra
Abstract
In March 2020, the English Premier League football (soccer) season was suspended partway through due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two months later the season remained in limbo, with a looming deadline to decide whether to attempt to complete the season or curtail it—and if so, how. These decisions had major implications for a number of key stakeholders, each with their own incentive structures. One key point of contention was whether to temporarily cancel the system of relegation (i.e., demotion) from the league for the bottom teams. This case investigates the process by which a decision was reached, considering the role of historical and social context in shaping the eventual conclusion.
Keywords
Sports; Health Pandemics; Decision Making; Fairness; Values and Beliefs; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Motivation and Incentives; Outcome or Result; Perception; Negotiation; Sports Industry; United Kingdom
Citation
Kteily, Nour, and Deepak Malhotra. "Project Restart: Deciding the Future of English Football." Harvard Business School Case 921-050, April 2021. (Revised April 2021.)
About The Authors
