Erez Khalfon and Shmuel Frankel sent a letter to Israeli Minister Katz urgently to meet with him: "Honorable Minister, the fate of Israeli sports in your hands"

• Packed up. The pressure on the treasury continues

  Photo: 

  Alan Shaver

Erez Chalfon, the head of the football leagues' administration, together with the chairman of the Premier League basketball basketball team, sent a letter to Finance Minister Israel Katz on Sunday requesting an urgent meeting regarding the future of the two industries next season. We will not be able to open the football and basketball leagues, ”it said.

"The Pro Football League and the Basketball Premier League made great efforts to come back, and in June and July, the leagues held huge difficulties and unimaginable challenges, absorbing significant financial losses.

"With all the difficulties - we are now facing next season, but here we encounter a high barrier that does not allow the competitions to be opened. Without the income of the crowd, most football and basketball league teams have no economic right of living. In a large part of the groups, the revenues account for about 30-40% of the budget and sometimes Even more so, and it is expected that sponsors will also cut back on their support of groups as a result of the situation.

"The bottom line is that without a safety net from the state, we will not be able to open the football and basketball leagues. Without a safety net, we will not be able to pay for the operations of the teams, we will not be able to pay rent to the halls and stadiums, we will not be able to pay players salaries and not be able to pay any other necessary expense.

"We would like to mention that the revenues from Toto, Winner and the state from Israeli football and basketball gambling amount to about NIS 400 million a year. Without the existence of leagues, the State of Israel will lose this income, which is also used to support Olympic sports in the year in which the Olympics take place.

"Honorable Minister of Finance, the fate of Israeli sports is yours. We request an urgent meeting this week with you and the Minister of Culture and Sport so that we can make decisions about the future of the football and basketball industries."