Liverpool can expect eight figures in revenue from their pre-season tour of the United States, says football finance expert Kieran Maguire.
The club confirmed last week that they would travel to Nashville, New York and Chicago in the summer, where they will face Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds United respectively.
Liverpool are regulars in the United States for pre-season, which is a commercial mecca for elite football clubs looking to increase their sponsorship and retail income.
This summer, the potential financial boom could be even more pronounced, with the US acting as the main host for the World Cup, where new sponsorship agreements and investment deals are regularly struck in the hospitality lounges.
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Commercial directors also speak of nurturing existing fans and capturing new ones. And every new Liverpool fan at a global scale is another potential shirt sale, as well as an asset in negotiations with new commercial partners.
“Liverpool’s strategy is to surf the wave of interest in football in America, especially if the US national team does reasonably well at the World Cup*,”* University of Liverpool football finance lecturer Kieran Maguire said in exclusive conversation with Rousing The Kop.
“Or, if players like Mac Allister or Alisson are successful with Argentina or Brazil, their profile rises too.
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“Them visiting the US is a strange one this time around. I would have expected them to go to Asia to capitalise on the links with Standard Chartered given the potential for football fatigue in the States after the World Cup*.*
“The Premier League Summer Series tournament that has been hosted in the US has not been a success overall. But there will be huge interest, especially if Wrexham are promoted. There are American links to three of those clubs in total*.*
Fans of Wrexham display a flag of their badge with a banner of owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds during the Sky Bet League Two match between Wrexham and Doncaster Rovers at Racecourse Ground on September 9, 2023 in Wrexham, Wales.
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“There is a geographical breakdown in the accounts – of their £703m of revenue, £23m came from the rest of the world. That will be a combination of commercial income and pre-season tours.
“Manchester United have documented how they can expect £10m-plus from a pre-season tour in the US, and I would expect Liverpool to do similar numbers.”
Liverpool were the Premier League’s most watched team last season and create multiple billions of social media engagements every season.
The challenge for FSG is how to effectively monetise that interest beyond the centralised Premier League and Champions League TV deals.
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