Ownership changes in football can have immediate effects on a club’s culture and also its future success. Liverpool has had its fair share of dominating eras under varying owners. One of the most influential ownership changes came with Fenway Sports Group (FSG), but when did the group buy Liverpool?
FSG’s arrival to Liverpool was pivotal. The club had just endured a turbulent spell under previous ownership, and it was in a fragile state both on and off the pitch. Here’s everything you need to know about FSG’s Liverpool acquisition.
FSG bought Liverpool on October 15, 2010. The group was operating under the name New England Sports Ventures (NESV) at the time, and the deal was finalised after a legal battle with the outgoing owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
Here’s a more detailed timeline of Liverpool’s ownership over the years:
With FSG taking over the reins at Liverpool, the team’s overall league stats improved noticeably.
FSG paid £300 million to buy Liverpool. The club's financial state dictated the purchase price. Hicks and Gillett had run up debts of around £350 million, which significantly pushed the sale price down from what Liverpool would otherwise have been worth.
The FSG era levelled up when RedBird Capital Partners acquired a stake in FSG for £533 million, and NBA star LeBron James also officially joined as a partner in the group. FSG’s still open to further investments and new shareholders, so who knows which high-profile name could become involved with Liverpool in the years ahead.
Liverpool's rise under FSG has also made the club one of the most backed in football, with odds tools like Boostfinder on BookiesBonuses regularly featuring odds boosts on the club across a range of markets.