The Bendigo Amateur Soccer League will push ahead with its plan to start the season as early as June 28 even if some clubs withdraw from the competition.
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At a BASL meeting on Wednesday night several clubs voiced concerns about the viability of playing in 2020, with finances and the strict health and safety protocols introduced because of COVID-19 headlining the debate.
BASL president Aaron Shooter said the league's intention was to run a full schedule of division one, division two, women, youth and juniors in 2020, but clubs would be given the option not to participate this year.
"The current intention is to look at a late June start date, conditional on requirements from the state government,'' Shooter said.
"Assuming they all go to plan, then that will be the indicative start date.
"We asked for team entries and as a follow up from that we expect answers from clubs over the next couple of days.
"The ordinary rules of competition around needing to have a full complement of teams, or a fraction thereof, will be waived for the season.
"We'll take team entries on what clubs are comfortable putting forward based on everything that is going on.
"We'll put together a recommended season based on those numbers. The number of rounds etc will be determined by what position clubs are in."
Player registration fees - senior and junior - are crucial for BASL finances.
Shooter said no 2020 season would hurt the league's bottom line.
"It would be something we would need to work through,'' he said.
"There's opportunities to keep organisations financial through grants etc and we're doing our best to take advantage of those.
"Our first priority is to provide what our members are looking for and that's football. We'll do our best to survive through that.
"If nothing was to go ahead then it's a bridge we'd need to cross. The least amount of football would be the worst result for the league.
"If no-one wanted to play football we'd have to face that reality.
"If there are clubs out there that the worst outcome for them is to not take part in the season we've left that option open.
"We understand all clubs have different financial models...if they're under pressure we're here to support them and one of the ways to support them this year is to give them as much flexibility as possible."
Shooter said it had been a difficult period for BASL clubs, who have taken a hit financially through limited sponsorship opportunities.
The impact of the state government and Football Federation Victoria implemented health and safety training protocols had also stretched club volunteers.
"For some clubs it's a combination of finances, sponsors, not being able to have crowds at grounds,'' Shooter said.
"It's not any one single thing, it's a pretty unique set of circumstances this year.
"The (health and safety) protocols around training have been pretty heavy. For some clubs that lands on a very select few. We're in times where clubs are more reliant on their volunteers and it will be interesting to see how the community responds to that."
A late June start date for junior competitions would run into the winter school holidays.
Shooter said feedback from clubs indicated a preference to play through that period.
"At this stage, based on the communication we've had with clubs, given that the opportunity to travel for school holidays is minimal and the fact kids haven't been at school and aren't busting for a break... the intention is for us to keep moving things along,'' Shooter said.
"If we get feedback from clubs that they'll struggle to field junior teams in the school holidays then we'll cross that bridge at the time."
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