[Football] Moneyball on the Mersey.

[RexCathedra]

Moneyball inspiration and Athletics executive Billy Beane reportedly set to leave team in Fenway Sports deal

.... If the merger between Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Red Sox, and RedBall Acquisition Corp., a special-purpose acquisition company that Beane is a co-chairman of, goes through, Beane will leave his role with the [Oakland[ Athletics to avoid the conflict of interest, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

Beane will not take a role with the Red Sox front office, according to the Wall Street Journal. If the merger is completed, Beane will work on Fenway Sports Group’s European soccer portfolio.

Last Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported that RedBall would purchase less than 25 percent of Fenway Sports Group, valuing it at $8 billion, and making Fenway Sports Group a public company.

Fenway Sports Group, which acquired Liverpool in 2010, could add more European soccer teams to its portfolio to become “an unprecedented global sports conglomerate,” according to The Wall Street Journal.

I don't think they're simply planning to acquire feeder clubs/farm teams... like TB has done in Belgium

More multi-team chains, a la Red Bull, seems to be the future. And the big fish get bigger, the squeeze on clubs in the middle gets greater.

 

[darkwolf666]

Have you only just realised this?

It's been going on for a long while, and if the European powers had their way would have led to a proper European Super League, with no promotion or relegation, just a Boys Club for the rich

It's still only a Kerry Packer away from happening! Then watch the really big money roll in... Liverpool AFC relocated to Saudi Arabia to play their home games!

 

[blue-shifted]

Nobody should be able to own more than one football club. Including Tony.

Part of the proper owner test should be declaration of no influence on any other team

 

[theboybilly]

This is just the beginning. United have been in a comparative slump recently and they need to get back on track before the others (notably City and Liverpool) steal a march. I've always thought that United would get a deal to blow all others out of the water should the Glazers decide to sell. Liverpool and City can't be allowed to get too far ahead. This will ruin the Premier League for me (and if the Albion weren't in it I don't think I'd bother with it) - titles decided in boardrooms? No thanks

 

[Hamilton]

For the last time, it's not soccer! It's football.

 

[Insel affe]

For the last time, it's not soccer! It's football.

I have no objection to the word soccer whatsoever...

The word "soccer" is a British invention that British people stopped using only about 30 years ago, The word "soccer" comes from the use of the term "association football" in Britain and goes back 200 years.

Soccerball however can do one

 

[zefarelly]

For the last time, it's not soccer! It's football.

I think we're on to something here, the billionaire twats gang can have a slang Socccer league, the real stuff stays as Football.

Bettter still, send Liverpool and Maure etc to America. Job done.

 

[Eeyore]

Happy for the 'big six' to go their way.

Form an English football league with the rest. Salary caps to ensure clubs run properly.

Take it back to the 50s and 60s. I'd be happy with that.

As for Europe, I love watching the Champions League, but this is one BREXIT I'd vote for.

Football in this country would lose all the 'plastics' too.

Bring it on.

 

[RexCathedra]

For the last time, it's not soccer! It's football.

Article is from the Boston Globe...

 

[stewart12]

Happy for the 'big six' to go their way.

Form an English football league with the rest. Salary caps to ensure clubs run properly.

Take it back to the 50s and 60s. I'd be happy with that.

As for Europe, I love watching the Champions League, but this is one BREXIT I'd vote for.

Football in this country would lose all the 'plastics' too.

Bring it on.

yep I'm exactly the same. Us getting promoted has opened my eyes to how nauseating these clubs can be

removing them removes a huge glass ceiling for the rest of the clubs- let them go

 

[Icy Gull]

I think we're on to something here, the billionaire twats gang can have a slang Socccer league, the real stuff stays as Football.

Bettter still, send Liverpool and Maure etc to America. Job done.

That would be absolutely hilarious wouldn’t it?

The LA Liverbirds Liverpool

The Pittsburgh Manchester United Red Devils

 

[Braggfan]

Happy for the 'big six' to go their way.

Form an English football league with the rest. Salary caps to ensure clubs run properly.

Take it back to the 50s and 60s. I'd be happy with that.

As for Europe, I love watching the Champions League, but this is one BREXIT I'd vote for.

Football in this country would lose all the 'plastics' too.

Bring it on.

It’s often been said that football is too far gone to ever redraw the lines and restructure the system.
But Imagine if the big 6 went off and formed a franchise European super league. With the remaining clubs forming a restructured league with salary caps and a draft system for transfers. I’d be more than happy to see the back of those greedy clubs, if meant there was a system in place to keep the leagues and clubs sustainable and competitive.

 

[Doonhamer7]

The funny thing is - would most people really care about a European League? Outside of big 5 leagues how many other clubs would be allowed in? Then why does someone in Holland, Belgium, Sweden, the whole of Eastern Europe etc actual care

When at work (oh the heady days of before Covid) know one ever talked about European football- it was all premier league and championship. So as I thought in Scotland (rangers and Celtic can F off) then we’d have a league with different winners, the same can apply to England, except two clubs go on shaky ground (once we move to hydrogen economy rather than hydrocarbon one then splat fall mega-clubs with no substance Chelsea nand Man City (and Paris Qatar). Then we’d have a league where Everton, Wolves or Leicester would be favourites and we all know everyone can beat them on a good day - so ots like the championship just better

 

[Eeyore]

In the 1960s, eight teams won the old Division 1 and eight teams won the FA Cup.

Wouldn't it be great to return to those days.

 

[jamie (not that one)]

Honestly, I've thought about this quite a bit since the rumblings of a European elite league nonsense 5+ years ago. I welcome the big 3/4 clubs from each of the top leagues to piss off and start their own gig. It'll soon lose its novelty, unlike (not that we would know) getting into Europe each year, playing random teams from Hungary etc.

Go for it, lads.

 

[SockMonster]

The funny thing is - would most people really care about a European League? Outside of big 5 leagues how many other clubs would be allowed in? Then why does someone in Holland, Belgium, Sweden, the whole of Eastern Europe etc actual care

When at work (oh the heady days of before Covid) know one ever talked about European football- it was all premier league and championship. So as I thought in Scotland (rangers and Celtic can F off) then we’d have a league with different winners, the same can apply to England, except two clubs go on shaky ground (once we move to hydrogen economy rather than hydrocarbon one then splat fall mega-clubs with no substance Chelsea nand Man City (and Paris Qatar). Then we’d have a league where Everton, Wolves or Leicester would be favourites and we all know everyone can beat them on a good day - so ots like the championship just better

Er.............?

 

[Insel affe]

In the 1960s, eight teams won the old Division 1 and eight teams won the FA Cup.

Wouldn't it be great to return to those days.

Only if you support Grampus....

 

[Hamilton]

Article is from the Boston Globe...

For the last time, it's Planet, not Globe!