Baseball may well be ‘America’s Game’, but it certainly does not enjoy the same popularity in the UK as the NBA and NFL. Just as Americans seem unable to understand a cricket match which can end without a winner after 5 days, we find it difficult to comprehend the game in which, as Confucius said, ‘man with four balls cannot walk’!
Flippancy aside, a better knowledge of the sport may have rung some alarm bells back in January of 2007, when the owner of the Texas Rangers walked into Anfield. Of course, his future at Anfield is now very much in the hands of the High Court as we await the declaratory judgement on Martin Broughton’s attempts to sell Liverpool Football Club to New England Sports Ventures.
NESV has a wide portfolio but their crown jewel is a Major League Baseball franchise, the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox, despite a rich tradition, had not won a World Series since 1918, when NESV and John W. Henry took charge at Fenway Park in 2002. As a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, I find it difficult to examine the Red Sox in too much detail, given that their rivalry has all the hallmarks of that shared between Liverpool and those down the East Lancs Road.
However, I have the fortune to know an American ex-pat, who despite now living in Cheshire, continues to support the Boston Red Sox with the same passion that he has since a young boy in New England. My hope was that we would get a good understanding of what we might expect from our prospective new owners, and Christopher Robson was very honest with his answers:-
RK: As a lifelong Red Sox fan, have you any concerns about your owners taking on the extra burden of Liverpool Football Club?
CR: I have know worries about NESV taking over LFC. The Red Sox are in a good financial state and if things were to change for NESV I am sorry to say that the Red Sox would be their priority. However, this is unlikely to happen.
RK: In your opinion, what would be the attraction to NESV in taking on Liverpool Football Club in its current state?
CR: It has to be the price, potential and history that NESV see in LFC – remember the Red Sox had not won the pennant since 1918 when they bought us in 2002; we have won twice since then.
RK: What comparisons would you draw between the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club as organisations?
CR: I really don’t know the history of LFC very well, but you will find what goes on behind closed doors stays there. Both clubs evidently have a great heritage.
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MY FAMILY ARE ALL FROM BOSTON, AND I AM A LIVERPOOL FAN AS MY AUNTIE LIVES THEIR AND HAVE BEEN A LIVERPOOL FAN FOR YEARS, THEY ARE SIMILAR TYPE CLUBS, IN THEIR HISTORY, THEIR SET UP AND OVER ALL STANDINGS. LIVERPOOL IS A WORKING CLASS CITY A BIT LIKE BOSTON WAS YEARS AGO BOTH ALOT WITH IRISH AND EX PATS LIVING IN THEIR CITIES, THE PEOPLE FORM BOSTON ARE MOSTLY WARM AND PASSIONATE ABOUT SPORT, BIT LIKE THE PEOPLE FROM MERSEYSIDE. THEIR IS CLOSENESS WITH THE 2 CITIES.
Anybody who is prepared to spend a few hundred millions to buy a sports team will be extremely loaded and bored like Abramovich or Sheik Monsour or looking for some return of the investment. So, no surprise there. Of course they are in it to make a profit. People who dream of an owner who sees it as a fan should wake up and smell the coffee. If there was any Liverpool supporter out there who could afford to bankroll a successful team just for the sake of it, he or she would have come out long ago to stop the current demise.
Hate to nitpick, but the Sox had won a few pennants after Babe Ruth in 1918, but no World Series until John Henry liberated us famously.
I am a Red and Sox supporter who long ago saw the similarities and vaguely dreamt of this marriage. I am optimistic and would worry if I were a Manc.
Hicks was an incompetent owner at Texas. Too bad they have no relegation in US sport.
unmasked – jamie kanwar was standing outside anfield the other day sticking up for hicks and gillett well he would wouldnt he, he works for them as well as sky news, my arsenal is an anagram of his name. i am 99.9% sure its him, an evertonian i believe.
I see something really special in this website .