Catalans Dragons are banking on a return to Super League action later this year to save the club from financial meltdown.
The Dragons have played just three home games in 2020 and the suspension of the season because of Coronavirus has hit the French club hard.
Commercial Manager Christophe Levy told League Express that the Catalans would be “in danger” unless they were able to play the remainder of their home games this year.
He said: “The loss of game day revenue is the same as at every club, especially for games we have planned for months such as the Easter Saturday clash with Toronto.
“It was a marquee game for us, with Sonny Bill Williams versus Israel Folau, James Maloney and Sam Tomkins, it would have been a highlight of the season and the stadium was already full.
“It’s the same thing for our on-the-road game planned in Toulouse on 30th May versus Leeds in a double header with Toulouse and London Broncos. It would be a massive financial loss if we cannot hold this game.”
Levy said the club was already suffering from a huge loss of revenue but could survive if fixtures returned later this year.
He added, “The point is to maximise the number of home games we can play, as we can not reimburse season ticket holders or sponsors.”
Levy said the club was doing all it could to pay players and staff, adding: “There is no special compensation put in place by the French government, but we are under the same national law of unemployment for all our club employees.
“Obviously we cannot continue to pay wages indefinitely with no income, but if we can complete our normal number of home games in normal circumstances (not behind closed doors) later in the season, we will get that money back at some stage and the club will be safe.
“We still have everything to play for. If we play later in the season and do not cancel our games, it won’t be ideal, but at least we will satisfy and give people (fans and sponsors) what they paid for during the off-season.”