Liverpool Football Club is now up for sale. Fenway Sports Group, which owns the historic English club, purchased Liverpool in 2010 for around $475 million. Now, it looks to bring in perhaps more than 10 times that figure.
David Ornstein of The Athletic reports ownership created a full sales presentation for potential suitors. Of course, this comes on the back of a number of Premier League clubs undergoing ownership changes.
Most recently, Roman Abramovich sold Chelsea to Todd Boehly. That sale cost the new American owner a reported $5.3 billion. That number stands as the record for a club sale. Before then, the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund purchased Newcastle United for $415 million. Considerably less than Chelsea, but still a high payout.
Conrad Wiacek, the Head of Sport Analysis at leading data and analytics company GlobalData, says the possible revenus for FSG surely play a role in the group’s decision to sell. He predicts Liverpool could sell for well over $5 billion to a new owner. In fact, the club’s sponsorship deals profiting $160 million are a driving force for a higher selling fee.
“The objection of fans to the proposed European Super League meant it was unlikely FSG could turn Liverpool into the cash cow it hoped it could become by competing with the likes of Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City, Saudi-backed Newcastle United and the commercial dominance of rivals Manchester United,” Wiacek said. “This is likely behind the company’s decision to sell.”
Also, there are reports that FSG wants to continue its sports ownership in the United States. The group already owns MLB’s Boston Red Sox, hence the name Fenway Sports Group. Also, the club has a controlling stake in the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL. Now, FSG wants to add an NBA team to its lineup, with Las Vegas as the leading candidate for an expansion team.
Regardless of the future of FSG, the sale of Liverpool signals the end of a prosperous era for the Reds. Under FSG’s stewardship, Liverpool won its first league title in three decades, finishing first in the Premier League in the 2019/20 campaign. Also, Liverpool won the 2019 Champions League, while reaching a total of three finals in that timespan.
However, FSG did not have an overly clean record with Liverpool. The aforementioned European Super League brought a bad look on Liverpool, as it did the other top clubs in England. FSG principal owner John Henry publicly apologized to fans after the ordeal.
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