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Liverpool Set To Go Above Manchester United In Forbes List After Overtaking FSG Owned Boston Red Sox
When Fenway Sports Group came into Liverpool Football Club in 2010, after the terrible ownership of George Gillett and Tom Hicks, no one would have expected the trajectory the club has gone on.
Despite making poor decisions and angering the fanbase, John Henry and FSG's managerial choice in Jurgen Klopp and ability to keep the club financially stable has been nothing less than commendable.
The resurgence of Liverpool has not only taken them back to the glory days on the pitch, but off the pitch, the club's valuation is increasing year on year. The Reds have already taken over Boston Red Sox as the most valued team in FSG's empire.
In the 2021 Forbes list, the club was valued as the fifth most valuable football club in the world, behind Manchester United (4th), Bayern Munich (3rd), Real Madrid (2nd) and Barcelona (1st).
However, this year, Liverpool are on course to take over Manchester United in the list. After dominating their bitter rivals on the pitch, the Merseyside club are set to top English football in terms of valuation, something that will infuriate Manchester United fans.
The valuation of Liverpool Football Club is due to increase to a huge £3.5bn which shows a clear power shift in the brands of both clubs. Only $0.1bn was the difference between them in last year's list, however United's drop off has become even more this season, which has impacted their brand appeal massively.
Photo by PA Images/Sipa USA
Speaking to
Bloomberg, RedBird Capital founder Gerry Cardinale, who secured 11% of FSG last year, claims he only sees the valuation increasing.
"The valuation discussion is complicated. There isn't a great amount of rigour to it. There is a little bit of LIFO (last in, first out) to it, as in you look at the last trade and you put a mark-up on it.
"What is alluring there, and deceptive, is that people have become used to everything always going up in sports. That's anti-Darwinian, that's not possible.
"Now, the slope of that curve may change, but for the forseeable future everything keeps going up."
IMAGO / PA Images
Cardinale admits the curve of the trajectory may change, but as for the moment, it only looks positive for the American business.
"The valuation discussion is complicated. There isn't a great amount of rigour to it. There is a little bit of LIFO (last in, first out) to it, as in you look at the last trade and you put a mark-up on it.
"What is alluring there, and deceptive, is that people have become used to everything always going up in sports. That's anti-Darwinian, that's not possible.
"Now, the slope of that curve may change, but for the forseeable future everything keeps going up."
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