Liverpool are following in Man City’s footsteps with their latest money-making initative, although it might not go down too well with fans.
Liverpool and City have enjoyed a sporting rivalry for the ages in recent years, contesting four of the last Premier League title races.
And while Arsenal appear to have overtaken Liverpool as the closest challenger to Pep Guardiola’s dominant side,Jurgen Klopp’s legacy is indisputable.
That has transferred to the commercial side of the club too, with Liverpool generated income of £4.3bn since the manager’s appointment in 2015.
And with Arne Slot now at the helm, owners Fenway Sports Group are not looking to take their foot of the accelerator in terms of the club’s business growth.
That much is clear with their latest commercial decision, which was revealed this week.
Liverpool echo Man City with crest update
Liverpool have announced that they are updating their iconic Liver Bird crest across their digital platforms, – social media, official website, mobile apps and so on.
The changes are subtle, and Liverpool insist that the original badge will continue to be used throughout the stadium, training ground and other club sites.
The update is aimed at making the crest more visually appealing and recognisable for mobile users, who the club have revealed make up 86 per cent of their digital channels.
In updating their badge, Liverpool are mirroring Man City‘s strategy in 2016, when they pivoted to a more logo-style crest for branding and digital-first reasons.
City’s commercial operation has gone from strength to strength in that period, with the club banking an extra £163m annually from sponsorship and merchandise compared to 2016.
And while their changes to the crest are not nearly as drastic as City’s, Liverpool will hope it too can inspire further commercial growth.
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How do Liverpool and Man City’s finances compare?
City’s finances have been more scrutinised than any other club in world football in recent years thanks to their charges from UEFA and now the Premier League.
But there is no denying that they are a slick outfit when it comes to revenue generation.
They have surpassed rivals Man United in terms of turnover in recent years, generating a record £712m in 2022-23, the last season for which financial data is available.
That figure was considerably higher than Liverpool, who were the Premier League’s 3rd-biggest earners with £594m.
However, Liverpool are still in an excellent position in terms of Profit and Sustainability owing to FSG and John Henry’s emphasis on sustainable growth.