| Soccer: Owners of Red Sox to Buy Liverpool Soccer Club Liverpool has agreed to the sale of the club to New England Sports Ventures, which owns the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool said. feeds.nytimes.com |
How shrewd investment transformed the Boston Red Sox John W Henry bought into the ethos of the Red Sox and will do so at Liverpool, says Joe Sullivan, the Boston Globe's sports editor"When John W Henry and his New England Sports Ventures group took over the Boston Red Sox they were firmly established as a team that would always fall short of being a major force. Under Henry, however, they ended their 86-year wait for a championship in 2004 and are now recognised as a major, long-term threat. It has been a total transformation."This has largely been achieved through high investment, which can specifically be seen in the Red Sox's payroll. It currently stands at somewhere close to $170m [£107m] a year, which is second only in the Major League to the New York Yankees. Big wages do not necessarily lead to a great team but it certainly shows a commitment to signing and keeping top players, which has been a hallmark of Henry's time in Boston so far."Along with the money has come a respect of traditions. When Henry took over it appeared certain that Fenway Park, the Red Sox's stadium, was destined for demolition. It opened in 1912 and by 2002, when the takeover happened, it was truly looking its age. But instead of knocking it down, Henry preserved Fenway Park and renovated it in a way that reflected its original appearance. All Red Sox fans will tell you that they love the aesthetics of the stadium – if anything they prefer it now to how it looked eight years ago."One issue they may have with Henry, though, is the cost of getting into the place. Ticket prices at Fenway Park are among the most expensive in the Major League, with the average cost being in the region of $45. Tickets to sit on the Green Monster, the 37ft wall located at the left field of the stadium, can reach $200. This has made it hard for the common man to go watch the Red Sox play now."Saying that, however, Fenway Park is sold out for most games. This is partly because the team are continuing to compete for the Championship and also because Henry has enhanced the fan-experience for those who can afford to attend. For instance, some roads around Fenway Park are closed to traffic on game-days so fans can walk to and from the stadium in comfort and, if they choose, hang out there and visit the food stalls and merchandise shops the new owners have built there. That is also part of Henry's strategy to boost the Red Sox's commercial activities, something which has been a success and generated much income, most of which has gone straight into the team."It is impossible to predict which aspects of his time in Boston Henry will repeat at Liverpool, but the supporters should hope it is as much as possible. They should also expect to see him at more matches than either Tom Hicks or George Gillett attended. Henry is not a Boston fan but has totally bought into the ethos of the team and can regularly be seen at Fenway Park, supporting them from his box. He will become a Liverpool supporter too, albeit a shy, quiet one."LiverpoolSachin Nakraniguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Chelsea perfect, Madrid wins Milan clash Real Madrid passed an early test of its Champions League credentials under Jose Mourinho by defeating AC Milan, while Chelsea, Arsenal and Bayern Munich also notched up their third successive victories Tuesday. cbc.ca |
Arsenal the model for other clubs, says Gazidis • Gunners chief executive addresses AGM at Emirates Stadium• 'We do not rely on anybody but ourselves for future success'The Arsenal chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, says the club's self-sustaining business plan will become the model for all football clubs to follow.Last month, Arsenal's parent holding company announced record pre-tax profits of £56m and increased group turnover of £379.9m, while also seeing all the debt on their Highbury Square development paid off.Addressing this morning's annual general meeting of shareholders at the Emirates Stadium, Gazidis pledged any profit from further property sales would be ploughed back into the squad – with the only outstanding debt now tied into the long-term mortgage on their 60,000-seat ground, which opened in July 2006."'The game is increasingly looking towards Arsenal as a model of what a football club should be," said Gazidis. "This is a challenging path to tread, but we have earned our independence. We do not have to rely on anybody but ourselves for future success. However, we have to keep moving forwards – standing still is never an option."Members of the Arsenal Supporters Trust 'fanshare' initiative were also present at this morning's gathering at Emirates Stadium, along with the American majority stakeholder Stan Kroenke.Arsène Wenger, who takes his side to Manchester City on Sunday, was set to address the AGM, having last year vowed his youngsters would finally deliver a first trophy since the 2005 FA Cup.ArsenalBusinessguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo warns of tougher times ahead West Brom manager warns his players against complacency after guiding team to sixth in the Premier League. telegraph.co.uk |