This week, NHL owners Tom Hicks of the Dallas Stars, and George Gillett of the Montreal Canadiens, announced their intention to buy the Liverpool club of the English Premier League. For those of us on this side of the pond, that is a soccer team. In England, they play football, and are five-time European champions.
This is a big deal. Slowly but surely, American owners are taking over franchises in the EPL. Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer owns Manchester United, the most popular team in the world, and Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner has purchased Aston Villa.
This is a good marriage. American money invested in English clubs can't help but improve the quality of the best league in the world.
It's not fair to compare English soccer with pro sports in the US. However, it's a cool thing. I don't know enough about it to have a favorite team. If one of those clubs wants me as a fan, I'm available, for a price.
7 comments:
And on the subject of soccer:
Why is the US playing a home game with Mexico in Phoenix? I know it's an exhibition, or a "friendly", but we shouldn't give Mexico a home field advantage in our own country.
Let's play them somewhere up north!
Aston Villa used to be a team I used to follow somewhat. My team is the Rangers Football Club (Scotland). I'd like to see Tom Hicks wreck yet another team now, not just a Texas team.
As for Mexico v. US, you pose an interesting question. I just wonder if it will be another case of the opposing crowd cheering "Osama! Osama!" like they have done in the past.
2-0
no big deal
Wouldn't it be a hoot if Tom Hicks bought the Rangers of Scotland? Imagine the cross-marketing and uniform possibilities!
I don't see him wrecking Liverpool. He doesn't know enough about soccer/football. It's just like with the Stars, as they won a Stanley Cup because he didn't know anything about hockey, and let hockey people run the team. He knows just enough about baseball to be dangerous, and has thus ruined the Rangers.
The US did beat Mexico Wednesday night. I didn't hear any pro-terrorist chants, but these were mainly Mexicans in (not necessarily from) the US. They're more pro-Mexico than anti-American. I'm sure it's more anti-American when they play in Mexico. It was a good win for the USA.
And, shouldn't Paul McCartney have bought Liverpool?
I think Paul's trying to lay low for a while ... too much drama with Heather.
Definitely. After Heather's through, he'll have plenty of money, but not enough to buy a soccer team.
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