Liverpool FC owners Fenway Sports Group have revealed their intentions for Anfield going forward.
Famed for its footballing atmosphere, especially in European nights, the iconic Liverpool stadium was used for non-footbaling activities this summer.
The first headline event hosted at Anfield after the conclusion of last season was Taylor Swift’s UK Eras Tour.
The global pop phenomenon used the venue for three consecutive evenings.
The demand for tickets was enormous and Swift’s presence on Merseyside brought a global spotlight to the city.
Just weeks later, another pop star Pink, used the venue for two nights.
The combined usage from Pink and Swift yielded a commercial revenue boost for the club of several million pounds, something that they weren’t able to generate 12 months previous.
Last summer the Liverpool home ground couldn’t host such events as Anfield was undergoing renovation.
But now the club is able to host such events.
The Taylor Swift concerts were a hit, and showcasing Anfield as a world-class music venue able to deliver three sell-out nights for arguably the biggest singer on the planet.
The success of the concert was a major win for the club and owners Fenway Sports Group.
FSG’s vision for Anfield when they decided to remain and redevelop was that it would be used for more than just football.
This is part of their plan to grow revenue streams that can better support the football operation.
What is FSG’s Anfield Plans
With the Taylor Swift concert being such a huge success, Liverpool are now planning ahead of next summer.
Although the club is yet a decision on who will be appearing, or if they will choose to put on live events, but Liverpool are seriously thinking about the implications of such an event.
Speaking to the ECHO, Liverpool’s chief commercial officer, Ben Latty, revealed that the club wants to use Anfield’s pulling power to help the city.
“We had roughly 250,000 people that came to those concerts and I think you just have to think about what that does to for the city and the local economy,” Latty said to Liverpool Echo.
“It was really apparent that these were people that were coming into the city to stay in the hotels, eat in the restaurants, make use of the local transport links, etc. I just think it’s it’s amazing for us to be able to bring those events to the city.
“I actually think that’s a responsibility as well to try and bring these huge ‘Class A’, should we say, acts to the city of Liverpool and continue to make Liverpool famous for what it is famous for, which is music and being the sort of the centre of entertainment in certainly in the UK, perhaps even in Europe.
“It was hugely successful. It’s been something that’s been a long time planning. These things don’t happen overnight. It is sort of 12 months out when you start having conversations.”
However, Latty also revealed that the club would assess its options next summer.
“We’re looking at our options for next summer, although whether that actually happens or not is still to be decided,” Latty said.
“But certainly, now that we’ve put on such amazing shows for those five nights for Taylor Swift and Pink, and previous years, I think we are very much on the tip of the tongue of promoters when they’re looking for venues to take their artists to in the UK.
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