Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has said he is “determined” to bring Premier League matches to New York and dreams of matches being played in different locations around the world on the same day.
Werner hinted that his club would be open to playing the match in New York, despite Liverpool fans on Merseyside being likely to overwhelmingly oppose such a move.
“I am determined to one day bring Premier League games to New York,” Werner said. Financial Times“There’s even this slightly crazy idea that we’ll have a day celebrating football, the Premier League, with one game in Tokyo, one a few hours later in Los Angeles, one a few hours later in Rio and one a few hours later in Riyadh.”
Anticipating a backlash from fans, he added: “Let’s figure out how to offer them very cheap travel. [and] When Liverpool play Nottingham Forest, accommodation will be made available to support fans travelling to New York.
“[Let’s] We want to make it attractive for the fans as well.”
However, the club’s largest shareholder John Henry appeared to pour cold water on the plans, telling the paper: “It’s not something I support or have any particular interest in.”
Henry was one of those forced to kneel down and apologise to Liverpool’s supporters three years ago when the club agreed to join the defunct Super League.
Spirit of Shankly chairman Paul Khan said: Telegraph Sports“Anyone determined to attend Liverpool FC games overseas should remember that we, the fans, are determined not to do so. There are many things in football that need to change – ticket prices, an independent regulator, financial fairness – and not where we play.”
Werner’s comments came after John Miller, a senior executive at NBC Sports, which broadcasts the Premier League in the US, told The Athletic that he would “love to see” England’s top league games played in the US and would “continue to push for it.”
FIFA rules banning domestic league matches from being played outside the country’s home country are on the verge of being scrapped following a battle over the legality of the embargo.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has repeatedly said the league has no plans to play matches overseas.
The world’s richest league was forced to abandon plans for a round of fixtures outside England – the so-called Round 39 – more than 15 years ago after fierce opposition.