Liverpool’s chairman, Tom Werner, has admitted that he’s “decided” to play Premier League video games overseas, however principal proprietor John Henry doesn’t really feel the identical manner.
Werner, who’s the chairman of Liverpool and homeowners FSG, has admitted his dedication to play Premier League video games exterior of England and Wales.
He instructed the Monetary Instances: “I’m decided in the future to have a Premier League sport be performed in New York Metropolis.
“I even have the kind of loopy concept that there could be a day the place we play one sport in Tokyo, one sport a number of hours later in Los Angeles, one sport a number of hours later in Rio, one sport a number of hours later in Riyadh and make it kind of a day the place soccer, the place the Premier League is well known.”
One of many multitude of issues with this is able to be that loyal native supporters wouldn’t have the ability to attend.
He responded by telling journalist Sara Germano: “Let’s work out a technique to supply them very low cost journey [and] lodging in order that if Liverpool is taking part in Nottingham Forest, we’ll help followers coming to New York.
“[Let’s] make this a beautiful factor for the followers as nicely.”
FSG’s principal proprietor, John Henry, wasn’t on the identical web page, saying: “It’s not one thing that I advocate or am notably concerned with.”
Whereas Liverpool supporters know that homeowners FSG are able to full disregard for supporters, it’s nonetheless fairly surprising to listen to the membership chairman’s ideas laid out so clearly.
Werner tried to justify his ambitions to some extent, including: “It’s a really aggressive enterprise.
“I feel 20 years in the past there was much more low-hanging fruit, the place a Theo Epstein might discover success in an avenue that different folks weren’t taking a look at. However sports activities is now huge enterprise, proper?
“Groups even within the NBA are going for over £3 billion. I don’t assume we have now any secret sauce, is what I’m making an attempt to say.”
FSG purchased Liverpool in 2010 for round £300 million. The membership is now price over over 14 occasions that – £4.2 billion in line with Forbes.
There have been loads of positives and loads of negatives scattered throughout the present homeowners’ reign. Not too long ago, they’ve saved out of the information and have been carrying favour with some supporters.
Nevertheless, these newest feedback from Liverpool’s chairman, Werner, can solely injury the connection between homeowners and supporters.
Invoice Shankly as soon as mentioned: “At a soccer membership, there’s a holy trinity – the gamers, the supervisor and the supporters.
“Administrators don’t come into it. They’re solely there to signal the cheques.”
Werner would do nicely to do not forget that.