Sold: Liverpool
October 15, 2010
The British soccer club Liverpool has announced the completion of its sale to the owners of the American baseball team, the Boston Red Sox.
New England Sports Ventures (NESV), the owners of the Red Sox, completed the disputed 343 million euros ($480 million) takeover of Liverpool Football Club on Friday.
Ousted co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks called the deal an "epic swindle" and announced they would seek 1.2 billion euros in damages stemming from the acrimonious sale.
An uphill climb
Hicks and Gillett were unpopular with many Liverpool fans after a turbulent and disappointing three-year run.
New owner John W. Henry, proprietor of the Major League baseball team, promised supporters that he would "do what is necessary" to get the five-time European Champions back to the summit of English football.
However, the process is likely to be arduous - Liverpool is off to their worst start in more than 50 years, and failed to qualify for this season's Champions League.
Author: Sarah Harman (Reuters, AP)
Editor: Martin Kuebler