Liverpool: Fenway Sports Group and John W. Henry – Going huge or going home
Liverpool’s owner appears to be set on a merge with Billy Beane, the man who brought us “Moneyball”.
Billy Beane, the man who revolutionised player recruitment in baseball, is set to hang up his cleats and finally embark on a journey that includes him and FSG head, John W. Henry. The latter has been trying for years to team up with the innovative Beane.
As per the baseball flick, Henry tried to get Billy to join the Boston Redsox but failed in his many attempts to get him on board. Now it appears the two could conclusively link up and merge after almost two decades of FSG chasing the RedBall.
This time though it is not for baseball but football, according to reports. This will prevent him from having to pull a dirty on his beloved Oakland A’s, who he was so resistant to leave for the Redsox after all these years, avoiding conflict in the best possible manner.
As per The Wall Street Journal, he has taken a strong liking to football over recent years and has stakes in two sides across Europe. One being EFL Championship side Barnsley and the other, Dutch top-flight outfit, AZ Alkmaar.
"The proposed deal to take the parent company of the Boston Red Sox public leaves Billy Beane, the Oakland Athletics executive of “Moneyball” fame who ignited the data revolution in American sports, with a difficult choice.It appears Beane will resolve the conflict by leaving baseball behind in favor of helping Henry build an already substantial sports portfolio that includes the Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club, the champions of the English Premier League."
The deal for FSG and RedBall
The post further states, Fenway Sports Group will allow RedBall to buy just under 25% of its stakes, taking their valuation to almost $8 billion if they do go public and into business together. The plan going forward is for FSG to put its stamp on football around Europe, despite already being a force with Liverpool Football Club.
"Beane would turn his attention to other sports business ventures, particularly European soccer, an area he has demonstrated a passion for in recent years.That fits with Fenway Sports Group’s future if the deal, reported by The Wall Street Journal late Friday, is realized. RedBall would purchase less than 25% of Fenway Sports Group, valuing it at $8 billion.As a public company, Fenway could look to buy up more soccer clubs in Europe in an effort to establish itself as an unprecedented global sports conglomerate. Via: The Wall Street Journal)"
There have always been talks of Liverpool’s owner Henry wanting to sell off shares of the club, some rumours even stating he was ready to cash in on the Reds, but that rumours were quashed almost immediately. As per John, he only ever wanted to sell a small “steak” and not the whole cow.
FSG will be happy if the deal goes through swiftly without any hiccups. Liverpool have made it a habit of employing players who were recently relegated, as well as those who become free agents.
Quite frankly, they have been one of the most successful clubs at doing so, if not, the most successful. This would amplify this business mould at Anfield, and all over where they put their mark on the game they call soccer.
Next. The Top Flight. dark
If you didn’t get around to watching the hit sports drama “Moneyball”, now would be a good time to do so. Great movie with a standout cast. Brad Pitt (plays the role of Billy Beane), Jonah Hill (plays Peter Brand), and Chris Pratt (players Scott Hatteberg), all play their character well in the movie.
Read the full story here on The Wall Street Journal: Billy Beane Set to Leave Baseball Behind in Fenway Sports Deal