Opinion | How Liverpool FC’s new managing director Billy Hogan plans to expand club’s reach – and revenue – in China and Asia
President Xi’s focus on football in the country is “a terrific opportunity” for everyone involved in the game, says American
Liverpool FC went above and beyond with the now-customary Lunar New Year video this year.
Far from the usual player dragged off the training pitch to butcher “xin nian kuai le”, they produced a dual-language eight-minute epic that saw manager Juergen Klopp “phone” former table tennis great Deng Yaping, “Chinese Athlete of the Century”, for assistance in a match against Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino.
“It got over two million views on our Chinese social media channels alone,” says Billy Hogan, the club’s new managing director proudly.
With Liverpool only ninth in the Deloitte Money League that ranks the world’s richest football clubs, keeping that huge potential Chinese fanbase “activated and engaged” in marketing speak – happy and ready to open their wallets – will be vital to help end that trophy drought.
That’s one of the main tasks facing Hogan as he takes over as the main man in charge of off-the-pitch matters following the departure of long-time CEO Ian Ayre.