LeBron James to have input on LFC ‘management decisions’ with implications for recruitment – The Athletic

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In an interview with Tom Werner, Chairman of Liverpool and the Boston Red Sox, it was confirmed that NBA star LeBron James and his business partner, Maverick Carter, will have a say in how the Reds are run, as reported by The Athletic.

The implications on the club going forward, particularly in the long-term, could be wide-ranging, especially when taking into account Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird in the equation.

“I will be surprised actually if they don’t weigh in (on management decisions of either team), I would welcome their thoughts,” Tom Werner said. “I think that the relationship that the consumer has with a sporting team is an emotional one.

“I consider Maverick to be one of my closest friends, and I’ve spent hours with him talking about strategy, coaching, the lessons that I’ve learned from (Liverpool manager) Jurgen Klopp, and the lessons he’s learned as an astute observer of basketball.

“We have a very collaborative relationship, so I would actually say that their wisdom and their experience is going to be hugely helpful to us going forward.

Writing for The Athletic, Joe Vardon, Simon Hughes and James Pearce added: “Neither LeBron nor Carter will suddenly be providing input on the balance of Klopp’s midfield or who should be targeted as Georginio Wijnaldum’s replacement this summer.

“But they will have a significant role in the direction of the club’s commercial strategy, and their contacts will at some point benefit recruitment – which impacts on-pitch strategy.”

READ MORE: Klopp confirms injury boost for LFC as Firmino back; some hope for Henderson Euros availability

LeBron and Carter recently took up minority ownership positions with FSG

How will this affect Liverpool in the future?

From a financial perspective, the influence of James, whose name stands in its own right as a global brand to compete with sports teams, could be extremely positive on our finances going forward.

Adding into the mix Cardinale’s interest in expanding revenue streams via content consumption and broadcasting, and the sheer potential on offer is mouthwatering for Liverpool.

While the latest update is framed in terms of a long-term impact on how we amass funds as a club, we’re excited to see how the combination of our deal with Nike and a bigger role for James will impact upon recruitment.

As things stand, it seems to be another step in the right direction for us, just when we needed it in light of the financial ramifications of COVID-19 on sports teams all over the world.

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