Liverpool’s chairman, Tom Werner, has expressed his determination to play Premier League games abroad, a sentiment not shared by principal owner John Henry. Werner envisions a future where Premier League matches are held in cities like New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Rio, and Riyadh, turning it into a global celebration of football. However, this idea raises several challenges, particularly for local supporters who may not be able to attend these matches.
To address this concern, Werner suggests offering affordable travel and accommodations to fans so that they can still support their team even if the match takes place in a different country. He believes that making the experience attractive for fans is crucial. On the other hand, John Henry does not advocate or hold much interest in the idea of playing Premier League games abroad.
For Liverpool supporters, Werner’s stance is troubling. While FSG has been known to disregard supporters’ interests in the past, hearing the club chairman openly express these thoughts is quite shocking. Werner tries to justify his ambitions by highlighting the competitive nature of the sports industry and how teams’ valuations have skyrocketed in recent years. However, he also admits that Liverpool’s success is not due to any secret formula but rather the result of sports becoming big business.
FSG’s purchase of Liverpool in 2010 for £300 million has seen the club’s value soar to £4.2 billion according to Forbes. Despite positive and negative aspects of their ownership, FSG had been enjoying favor with some supporters recently due to a lack of negative publicity. However, Werner’s recent comments may strain the relationship between owners and fans.
These remarks from Werner remind us of Bill Shankly’s famous quote, emphasizing the importance of players, managers, and supporters in a football club while downplaying the role of directors. It would be wise for Werner to keep Shankly’s words in mind as he navigates these sensitive issues.