Dan McDonnell dropped into The Football Show on Tuesday to have a chat on Off The Ball about the League of Ireland planning beyond the coronavirus pandemic.
The overall picture is bleak in the League of Ireland, given the recent news that several clubs have laid off players - most recently Waterford United.
McDonnell believes that the situation in Ireland is "a cousin" of what is going on in other football jurisdictions - but highlighted how the League of Ireland is missing out on more revenue than other leagues if games are only played behind closed doors.
"The wealthier clubs, Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers, the top two, said McDonnell, "they are very much in favour of closed-doors games to get going where possible, if safe.
"Whereas clubs further down, who are more reliant on gate income, and don't have European money coming in this season, they are very reluctant to go down the route of closed doors games.
"The one key point that makes it different from other countries, there's no TV deal here, so no massive sugar daddy in that respect."
McDonnell laid out the one last crumb of hope for the smaller clubs:
"The FAI have consistently indicated to clubs that FIFA might be able to give a support package to help smaller countries and associations.
"What's being said to clubs is 'wait until you hear what this FIFA deal is,' maybe what they can offer will cover the short term loss of not having fans at games.
"It's an equation, but while the clubs don't have those figures, they can't really commit to being supportive towards this, while taking cutbacks and such measures."
League of Ireland inequality
The difference between the clubs who support the return of the League of Ireland behind closed doors and those who don't is clearly one of wealth, says McDonnell.
"There is a divide based along inequality, and in the League of Ireland it happens in the same division. In other countries, it's from one division to the next, but we're in limbo.
"Everyone is in limbo, it's all subject to public health approval and we don't know, just like the GAA and other sports.
"We have hypothetical plans, what we don't have is certainty."
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
