Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has expressed his ambition for Premier League matches to be played abroad.
England’s top flight, which has operated as the Premier League since 1992, has never in its history seen a match played outside the United Kingdom, although such an event appears to be getting closer to happening.
There have been a number of proposals over the years to introduce the league on a larger scale, most recently the European Super League, which was announced in 2021 and generated a huge reaction from fans.
Various arguments have been made for this to happen, with the benefit of generating money being obvious and others stating that it would help grow the league around the world by allowing more fans to watch and interact with the teams.
It is a proposal that excites Werner, an American whose Fenway Sports Group took over Liverpool in 2010, as he expressed to the Financial times.
Liverpool owner Tom Werner has revealed a new plan to move Premier League matches abroad
Reds boss suggested games could take place around the world with staggered start times
The Premier League has never played a competitive match outside the United Kingdom in its history.
“I am determined that one day a Premier League match will be played in New York City,” he said. “I even have this crazy idea that there would be a day where we would play a game in Tokyo, a game a few hours later in Los Angeles, a game a few hours later in Riyadh and make it a kind of day where football , where the Premier League is held.’
Werner’s proposal is similar to Game 39, which was first envisioned in 2008. An extra round of Premier League matches would have been played around the world mid-season.
The event was due to start in the 2010-11 season and then in the 2013-14 season, but has not yet taken place due to the FA deeming it “unsustainable”.
In the event, venues would have bid to host unspecified games, with coverage of all 10 games available due to staggered start times.
Werner, whose co-owner John W Henry apologized after his team pulled out of the Super League plan hours after it was announced, however appeared to suggest that regular season matches should be held abroad, meaning Fewer games would be held for local teams. ‘ stadiums, rather than playing at neutral venues.
The American, who also owns the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball, among other sports teams, suggested a way to prevent England fans from being unable to watch their teams.
“Let’s find a way to offer them very cheap travel and accommodation,” he said. “If Liverpool play Nottingham Forest, we will support the fans coming to New York and make it attractive for the fans as well.
The Premier League has previously said it has no plans to host matches abroad, but Manchester City’s battle against the Premier League could be a deciding factor if that happens in the near future.
Major changes to the Premier League rules need 14 of the 20 clubs to vote in favor to be approved, but that could all change if City succeed in arbitration.
Henry apologized to Liverpool fans after the club agreed to join (and then withdraw from) European Super League bids.
He talked about how it could be made easier for fans to fly around the world for “a day of celebration.”
Manchester City’s battle with the Premier League could make it easier for matches to be moved abroad in the future
Daniel Gore, senior associate at the Withers law firm, said The Athletic of how a two-thirds majority rule is generally applied in corporate proceedings.
He said: “It is difficult to see how effective governance could take place without a threshold like this, so Manchester City’s challenge could plunge the Premier League’s governance structure into chaos and make it harder for any decisions to be made.” .
Many clubs have American owners who, for example, may want games to be played in the U.S. or introduce American sports league rules, such as closed leagues or how television revenue is shared between teams.
A measure to have, for the sake of argument, five Premier League matches played in the United States could in the future need only 11 votes to pass if all clubs bid their votes, instead of the 14 currently required by the rule of the two-thirds majority.
