Published 19:42 IST, April 6th 2020
Liverpool owners worth £5 billion with club chairman John Henry alone worth £2 billion
Liverpool owners FSG are valued at an astonishing £5 billion which has put the furlough decision of the club in serious question amid the coronavirus crisis.
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Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) came under fire by former players as well as pundits following their decision to furlough the non-playing staff at the club. In February, the Reds announced a pre-tax profit of £42 million and a record turnover of £533 million for the financial year 2018-19. However, the Premier League's runaway leaders made the surprising decision to cut the salaries of their employees amid the coronavirus UK crisis.
Liverpool owners FSG's worth: Liverpool furlough announcement
With the Premier League suspended due to the coronavirus UK situation, clubs are finding it difficult to redistribute their resources. Without the TV revenue, commercial deals and the revenue generated by fans, the Premier League clubs have resorted to furloughing non-playing staff and deducting 20 per cent of their salaries. The Liverpool owners announced their decision to furlough staff on Saturday.
#LFC is continuing to deal with a range of challenges caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and would like to update supporters on the progress that has been made to date. https://t.co/0QAiCSVDv6
— Liverpool FC (at 🏠) (@LFC) April 4, 2020
Liverpool owners FSG worth massive sum
Liverpool owners FSG are also the parent company of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox. On a lower level, the Liverpool owners also run Roush Fenway Racing from NASCAR as well as minor league baseball sides called the Pawtucket Red Sox and Salem Red Sox. According to reports from Forbes, Liverpool owners FSG are worth a staggering $6.6 billion (£5.3bn), third on the list of the richest ownership groups worldwide. However, with the MLB and Premier League season suspended, FSG could be concerned over their cash flow.
Forbes also revealed that Liverpool chairman John Henry is estimated to have had a personal net worth of around $2.6 billion (£2.1 billion) back in November 2018. The 70-year-old listed one of his properties at $15 million (£12m) which featured seven bedrooms, a home cinema, a sports bar, a library, a gym and an outdoor kitchen as well. In 2016, the billionaire American businessman splashed £68 million on a luxury super-yacht.
Premier League suspended: Coronavirus UK situation
Liverpool were 25 points clear at the summit of the Premier League before the coronavirus UK situation. The Merseyside giants are on the hunt for their first Premier League title in 30 years but might have to wait a while longer due to the impact of coronavirus in the UK. The deadly bug has already claimed the lives of over 4,900 people in England.
19:41 IST, April 6th 2020