Liverpool have now been under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group (FSG) for just over a year now, and the group are playing a part in trying to revolutionize Premier League TV rights.
While many fans like to believe they “pay players wages” with the money they pay at the gate, it is the TV deals that really have the financial power in football today.

Currently Premier League TV rights for games screened abroad are shared among the 20 Premier League clubs.

While this is good for the overall health of the Premier League, it is not necessarily best for the stronger teams who generate the most interest.

For example in Spain, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are allowed to negotiate their own TV deals, and as a result are financially rewarded for the fan interest they generate.

While the Spanish model hurts the lower half of La Liga, it can be of little doubt that it is a great benefit to Real Madrid and FC Barcelona when it comes to competing in the UEFA Champions League.

BBC Sport reported in 2010 that Manchester United received £52 million from the distribution of TV rights the previous season. In contrast Real Madrid and FC Barcelona were allowed to negotiate their own TV rights and are expected to receive £136 each season until 2013.

While the English Premier League do have a ladder system that rewards teams who finisher higher in the league, the winners in 2010 received only £12 million more than the team who finished 10th.

With such a large discrepancy, it is understandable that Liverpool would look to benefit from their massive worldwide fan base.

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre stated his case this week in an interview with The Independent newspaper.

“With the greatest respect to our colleagues in the Premier League…if you’re a Bolton fan in Bolton, then you subscribe to Sky because you want to watch Bolton, and everyone gets that. Likewise, if you’re a Liverpool fan from Liverpool you subscribe. But if you’re in Kuala Lumpur there isn’t anyone subscribing to Astro or ESPN to watch Bolton – or if they are, it’s a very small number – whereas the large majority are subscribing because they want to watch Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal. So is it right that the international rights are shared equally between all the clubs?”

While he is sure to draw the ire of fans the length and breadth of England (and in Swansea), it cannot be denied that Ayre raises a fine point, and whether or not Liverpool succeed in this effort will have a huge impact on the future of the Premier League.

Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan has already called the proposal “scandalous” and claimed it would kill half of the Premier League.

“It is the ‘American Dream’, this. They are thinking ‘how can we get more money?’ said Whelan to BBC Sport. “But you won’t get any more money by killing the heart and soul of the Premier League and of football in England.”

Of course the self-interested Whelan probably cares little that the TV rights that so improved the Premier League had a very damaging impact on the leagues below, and that is what makes this debate so interesting.

Should teams be rewarded for bigger fan bases and better performance, or does the game have a moral responsibility to ‘share’ all revenue. Also if revenue should be shared, should that extend outside of the Premier League?