Friday, October 15, 2010

Red Sox Owners Purchase Liverpool F.C.

A few months ago a fellow named Sam Teitel, who is a regular at The Cantab Lounge's Wednesday night open mike poetry reading, suggested that if I were to root for a soccer team that I should root for the Liverpool F.C. (a.k.a. Liverpool Reds). Sam told me that Liverpool F.C. is to soccer what the Boston Red Sox are to baseball.

Well, lo and behold, Red Sox owners John Henry and Tom Werner have now purchased Liverpool F.C. for nearly half a billion dollars.

What's interesting is that the New York Yankees have a business relationship with Liverpool's arch rival Manchester United. In 2001, the two teams agreed to a joint marketing deal.

Could we soon see Liverpool vs. Manchester United matches at both Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium?

One other interesting parallel between the Red Sox and Liverpool F.C. is both teams have songs that are sung at home games. Red Sox fans sing Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" in the middle of the eighth inning. Mr. Diamond himself was on hand to sing the song at the Sox 2010 home opener last April. Reds fans, meanwhile, sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" prior to each game. You can hear the Liverpool faithful singing the Rogers & Hammerstein classic throughout the Pink Floyd song "Fearless."

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