Henry dispels Liverpool stadium myth
Liverpool owner John W Henry has warned fans that is it a myth to think a new stadium will transform the club’s financial fortunes.
A new home for the Reds in Stanley Park has long been discussed, with former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett contributing substantial resources to relocating the club.
However, Henry has warned fans that a new stadium could lead to an increase in ticket prices and believes the best way to grow as a club is through developing worldwide commercial revenue streams.
"A long-term myth has existed about the financial impact of a new stadium for Liverpool," Henry wrote in an email to The Anfield Wrap.
"A belief has grown that Liverpool FC must have a new stadium to compete with [Manchester] United, Arsenal and others.
"No-one has ever addressed whether or not a new stadium is rational.
"New stadiums that are publicly-financed make sense for clubs - I've never heard of a club turning down a publicly-financed stadium.
"But privately carrying new stadiums is an enormous challenge. Arsenal is centred in a very wealthy city with a metropolitan population of approximately 14 million people.
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"They did a tremendous job of carrying it off on a number of levels but how many new football stadiums with more than 30,000 seats have been built in the UK over the past decade or so?
"New stadiums increase revenues primarily by raising ticket prices - especially premium seating."
Nick Moore is a freelance journalist based on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. He wrote his first FourFourTwo feature in 2001 about Gerard Houllier's cup-treble-winning Liverpool side, and has continued to ink his witty words for the mag ever since. Nick has produced FFT's 'Ask A Silly Question' interview for 16 years, once getting Peter Crouch to confess that he dreams about being a dwarf.