After seeking investment in the United States and eventually selling a small stake to Dynasty Equity, Liverpool and FSG are now clearly set for long-term stability. This reaffirms the owner’s commitment to the club and there will be no change of control for the foreseeable future.
Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is a matter of opinion, although FSG can point to Liverpool’s impressive trophy cabinet to make their point. One thing everyone can certainly agree on is that the Reds have at least done well to avoid the circus that unfolded at Manchester United, who are now also heading towards the lengthy process of selling a minority stake.
Of course, Dynasty is not FSG’s first partner during his time coaching Liverpool. Most famously, LeBron James initially took a stake in the club, later converting it into part of the owner’s broader overall operation.
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Then there’s RedBird Capital Partners, which came on board during the pandemic to help offset that cost. Now, Trent Alexander-Arnold has made his own separate investment alongside RedBird and other companies.
We’ll have more on this when we wrap up the last week or so in the FSG world, and more below. We start with Alexander-Arnold’s latest project.
Trent Alexander-Arnold joins ‘owners club’
Trent Alexander-Arnold has entered the world of sports ownership. He did this with Liverpool investor Redbirds.
The defender has become one of the investors in Formula One team Alpine. He joins a star-studded group of investors including Ryan Reynolds, Anthony Joshua and Rory McIlroy (Business Wire) as well as Redbird.
Alexander-Arnold announced the news on his Instagram account, posing next to the team’s car and declaring himself part of the “owners’ club”. Ambitious on and off the pitch, it will be interesting to see if this is the first of many for the 25-year-old.
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liverpool.com says: Sports ownership by athletes currently appears to be a growing trend. Not only does Alexander-Arnold have many other current stars joining him, he can also look to FSG shareholder LeBron James as a good example.
Elsewhere at FSG, the NASCAR team is part-owned by former champion Brad Keselowski, who also drives one of the team’s two cars. Alexander-Arnold won’t be Liverpool’s player-owner anytime soon, but it’s clear the club’s administrators are more than happy to work with athletes.
LeBron James among the “most marketable”
Today, LeBron James is both a marketer and a “market player” as he pursues his business interests. But given that his own businesses are often built around his own brand, perhaps the distinction becomes blurred.
One thing’s for sure: LeBron ranks second among all athletes in the latest SportsPro ranking of the world’s most marketable athletes, and that’s not a bad thing. This is also good news for FSG.
On one hand, Fenway Sports Management has a lifetime deal that gives it the rights to manage LeBron, which is obviously still lucrative. Meanwhile, as Yahoo noted, FSG already has a key player ready for a future NBA expansion team.
It’s a double boost for FSG, with Mohamed Salah also on the list. Lionel Messi tops the list.
liverpool.com says: FSG’s partnership with LeBron does seem to be a winner for everyone. Even Liverpool have benefited greatly, launching a joint series with Nike last season.
It would definitely be interesting if one day FSG entered the NBA world and was dominated by LeBron. This will no doubt lead to additional content for our weekly column!
Boston Red Sox rejections pile up
It’s been a few weeks since FSG decided to assign Chaim Bloom to the Boston Red Sox. He served as general manager (GM) but was fired as the team missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
However, there is currently no replacement. This is not particularly unusual, but the FSG may become frustrated by the increasing number of rejections.
According to The Athletic, many high-profile candidates have now turned down interview opportunities. Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomez and Phillies general manager Sam Fuld are also among them, as is Minnesota Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey.
liverpool.com says: What this story does show is that many in baseball believe this is a normal development. Good candidates interested in this job are not easy to find.
However, since the Red Sox are an organization with a long history, FSG will definitely want to make a bigger impact. It’s a reminder that reputation can only go so far if it’s not coupled with sustained sporting achievement.