04/16/24
February 02, 2007
Liverpool bought by owners of Canadiens, Stars and Rangers.: Yes, my beloved Reds have agreed to be purchased by George Gillett and Tom Hicks, American owners of rival NHL teams. Liverpool were apparently swayed by Hicks's stadium-building expertise, an earmarking of just under half of the £470m purchase price for a new stadium, and a commitment to not make the new stadium a groundshare with bitter rivals Everton. The Americans pipped an earlier offer by the Dubai royal family.
posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 01:10 PM - 12 comments
From Anfield, to Hamfield?
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:26 PM on February 02, 2007
This reaction to this has been all over the map (unlike Glazer's purchase). They're hyperventilating at Kopblog, but many of the English press are taking a more measured tone, indicating that this offer took the club's heritage into account. Where the truth lies, I have no idea.
posted by trox at 01:48 PM on February 02, 2007
I hope fans of the Liverpool club aren't interested in winning. Tom Hicks has cut his salaries for the Rangers claiming the fans have to up attendance even though the new TV contract put approximately $30 million more in his pocket. He has done the same to the Dallas Stars and these sports have salary caps. Soccer is a free-for-all in wheeling and dealing for players and paying outrageous sums for rights and salaries. Liverpool, prepare for the cheapest team money won't buy.
posted by jaygolf at 02:55 PM on February 02, 2007
I like Hamfield. You'll Never Poooork Aloooone. You'll Never Poooork Alooooooone.
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:59 PM on February 02, 2007
If he's a meat tycoon, he probably just bought the club to get his hands on Crouch. As for the press, I think they're taking a more measured tone, because it seems these guys have their own money and don't intend to delist the club and then transfer the debt of their purchase back onto it.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 03:42 PM on February 02, 2007
Hicks is a vey successful LBO/private equity investor (firm is called Hicks, Muse, or at least it used to be) but for all the complaints about how he's run the Rangers and Stars he has not tried the typical take private/repackage/IPO cycle with either team. MLB does not allow teams to be publicly traded, NBA does, but I'm not sure about NHL; still, I don't think he's buying in with that intention here. At least I hope not. Plus, the articles I've read about DIC said they were not going to give Rafa an Abramovitch-type spending purse anyway, so the difference might not have been all that great anyway. At least I hope so ;)
posted by billsaysthis at 04:14 PM on February 02, 2007
The BBC needs to check its facts. Tom Hicks had absolutely nothing to do with the building of Ameriquest field (Texas Rangers) as this was done during the managing general parnership term of George Bush. Tom Hicks had nothing to do with the building of American Airline Center (Dallas Stars, Dallas Mavericks) as the deal was cut during previous ownership of the NHL franchise in conjunction with the NBA Dallas Stars ownership.
posted by jaygolf at 04:38 PM on February 02, 2007
"So, wait... Mr. Hicks was not involved in the least with the building of stadiums? Oh goodness. Dubai, wait!!"
posted by igottheblues at 05:13 PM on February 02, 2007
Tom Hicks has cut his salaries for the Rangers claiming the fans have to up attendance even though the new TV contract put approximately $30 million more in his pocket. Meanwhile raising ticket prices *again*. Indeed, have fun, Liver Birds.
posted by Ufez Jones at 06:01 PM on February 02, 2007
Tom Hicks on Wikipedia: Completely complimentary. Tom Hicks on UTWatch.org: Not.
posted by worldcup2002 at 09:26 PM on February 02, 2007
George Gillett on Wikipedia: Much more detailed and balanced info, including this:
"After resultantly declaring [Chapter 11] bankruptcy [for his multiple companies in 1992], but remaining on the payroll of Vail Resort at $1.5 million a year, Gillett walked away with $32.1 million to restart his business empire when Vail floated on the NYSE the following year."I see we have a shining partnership of scoundrels to look forward to.
posted by worldcup2002 at 09:31 PM on February 02, 2007
Given that Gillett is a meat tycoon and Hicks has served as a board member in one of his meat co.s, I wonder what kind of name they'll give the new stadium? The Liverpool Meat Bowl? The Spam Factory? The Meat Grinder? The Theater of Meats? The Liver Bird Coop? (blasphemy!) The following are based on actual Gillett businesses: The Petaluma Poultry Palace? The Snowball Foods Dome? The Kings Delight Castle? The B3R Country Meats Market? The Coleman Natural Products Meat Locker? The Gerhard's Napa Valley Sausage Basket?