Liverpool chairman wants Premier League games in USA
Liverpool chairman Tom Werner proclaimed he wants to see official Premier League games across the globe. The American television producer has been in place at the Merseyside club since his group’s takeover in 2010. Along with Werner, John Henry and Larry Lucchino purchased the Reds in a massive deal. The trio also bought the Boston Red Sox nine years earlier for around $700 million.
Potentially hosting Premier League matches in the United States has been a hot topic in recent months. Club owners would love to see the move happen due to the positive financial implications. However, powerful team executives are not the only ones openly pushing for the move.
NBC Sports head Jon Miller also recently declared that he would “love to see” English top-flight games in America. The broadcasting network previously spent $2.7 billion to exclusively air every single Premier League match in America up until 2028.
Liverpool executive dreams of Premier League games in USA
Werner, however, has now taken the suggestion to another level. During a new interview with The Financial Times, the Liverpool chairman expressed a desire to see official Premier League games staged across the world. While he specifically picked out New York as a host for the games, Werner named other global cities as well.
“I’m determined one day to have a Premier League game be played in New York City,” proclaimed Werner. “I even have the sort of crazy idea that there would be a day where we play one game in Tokyo, one game a few hours later in Los Angeles, one game a few hours later in Rio, one game a few hours later in Riyadh and make it sort of a day where football, where the Premier League, is celebrated.”
Werner did go on to admit that English fans will likely be unhappy with the move. Nevertheless, Werner suggested that Premier League clubs could give these local supporters access to discounted flights and hotels.
“Let’s figure out a way to offer them very cheap travel [and] accommodations so that if Liverpool is playing Nottingham Forest, we will support fans coming to New York and make this an attractive thing for the fans as well,” continued Werner.
Mexican and Spanish leagues also planning on matches Stateside
Despite Werner’s comments, the principal owner of Liverpool, John Henry, does not share a similar sentiment. The businessman informed the news outlet that he does not want to see his club play games Stateside. Henry told The Financial Times that Liverpool scheduling a Premier League match in New York is “not something that I advocate or am particularly interested in.”
As Premier League officials debate the issue, LaLiga and Liga MX games look to be heading to America soon. Spanish league president Javier Tebas publicly claimed that LaLiga matches would happen in the States by 2026. Meanwhile, Club America president Santiago Baños recently revealed his Liga MX team may play in the U.S. as early as 2024.
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