Wellington Phoenix are taking measures to minimise the financial impact of coronavirus and keep their club afloat during the suspended A-League season.
Newshub understands the club has asked staff and players to take their annual leave to help ensure they can continue to pay full wages for as long as possible, as the virus wreaks havoc on sporting leagues around the world.
On Monday, the Phoenix again refused to comment on the matter, continuing their trend of remaining silent on such issues.
Seven of the 11 A-League clubs have stood down staff and players without pay since their return from Australia.
The Phoenix would join Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory as the only clubs whose employees have been asked to take annual leave, rather than having pay frozen.
Making that feat more impressive is that the Phoenix are understood to have one of the most expensive playing rosters in franchise history.
But D-day is looming, with Football Federation Australia set to make its next decision on the league’s future on April 22.
The more relevant date for most of the clubs is April 15, when they're due to receive the next instalment of their broadcasting money from Fox.
Newshub understands that Fox is attempting to avoid making that payment of $900,000, and is trying to use the situation to get out of the contract or renegotiate a new deal with the A-League.
The Phoenix have received $324,732 from the Government’s wage subsidy scheme, but without that broadcasting money, as is the case with their counterparts, they could still find themselves in a very precarious financial position.
