THE FOOTBALL BUSINESS NETWORK DAILY: 10 June 2025
Liverpool's Japanese retail revolution, FIFA's World Cup shambles, and why Arsenal Women are moving house
🏪 COMMERCIAL DEALS & RETAIL REVOLUTION
Liverpool's Eastern Promise: When Retail Therapy Meets Anfield Glory
In what can only be described as the most significant Japanese invasion of Merseyside since the last Honda factory closure, Liverpool have inked a five-year retail partnership with Baycrew's that would make even the most hardened commercial director weep tears of pure profit. The Japanese fashion and lifestyle company will manage the Reds' retail operations both online and through shop-in-shops across Japan, with plans for the first standalone LFC retail store in the Land of the Rising Sun.
This is where it gets rather fascinating from a business perspective. Liverpool claims to boast 4.6 million supporters in Japan - more than any other Premier League club. That's roughly equivalent to the entire population of Ireland, which raises the delicious question: are the Japanese simply more discerning in their football allegiances, or have Liverpool's marketing department been working overtime with the sake?
The timing couldn't be more astute. Liverpool's pre-season jaunt to Japan includes a July 30 fixture against Yokohama F. Marinos at Nissan Stadium, providing the perfect backdrop for Baycrew's to showcase their wares. It's a masterstroke of vertical integration - flog the shirts where the hearts are already sold.
But here's the rub: Liverpool already operates 19 standalone retail stores worldwide, claiming this surpasses any other sports franchise globally. That's a rather bold assertion when you consider the global reach of clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona, not to mention the NFL's commercial juggernaut. Still, when you've just equalised Manchester United's league title record at 20, why not aim for retail supremacy too?
The partnership extends beyond mere merchandise flogging. Baycrew's becomes Liverpool's official tour retail operator for their Japanese leg, suggesting a level of commercial sophistication that would make a Tokyo businessman blush. With the Reds also securing lucrative deals with Visit Maldives and Adidas recently, one suspects FSG's spreadsheets are looking rather more attractive than their defensive statistics.
[Read more: SportCal]
🏆 FIFA'S WORLD CUP SHAMBLES
One Year to Go: FIFA's Masterclass in Incompetence
Twelve months before the largest World Cup in history kicks off across North America, FIFA has managed to achieve the remarkable feat of leaving virtually every crucial detail shrouded in mystery. No ticket prices, no general sale dates, no draw location, and security arrangements that would make a village fête organiser wince with embarrassment.
The scale of this administrative clusterfuck is breathtaking. We're talking about 104 matches across 16 stadiums in three countries, yet FIFA can't seem to organise the basic building blocks of tournament logistics. When pressed about ticket sales and team arrangements, chief tournament officer Manolo Zubiria demonstrated the sort of media-handling expertise that would shame a amateur dramatics society by hanging up four minutes into a telephone interview.
The security concerns are particularly delicious. The 2024 Copa America final at Miami Gardens started 82 minutes late after spectators breached security gates - hardly the sort of dry run that inspires confidence for a tournament 16 times larger. Former US defender Alexi Lalas rather diplomatically noted this was "a wake-up call," which is rather like calling the Titanic's iceberg encounter "a minor navigational hiccup."
Then there's the small matter of Donald Trump's travel restrictions affecting citizens from 12 nations. While athletes and coaches received exemptions, fans were notably absent from this largesse. Vice President JD Vance's recent comments about visitors needing to "go home" or face Secretary Noem carry all the warmth of a North Dakota winter.
FIFA's pricing strategy appears equally coherent. Hospitality packages at MetLife Stadium range from $25,800 to $73,200 per person - roughly equivalent to purchasing a decent used car for each match you'd like to attend. For context, the 1994 World Cup charged $25-$75 for most first-round games. Adjusted for inflation, that's still nowhere near FIFA's current pricing delirium.
The most telling detail? FIFA has about 800 people working at their Coral Gables office, yet none seem capable of answering basic questions about an event supposedly 12 months away. It's the sort of operational efficiency that would make even the most optimistic football administrator reach for the nearest bottle of wine.
[Read more: Associated Press]
📺 CLUB WORLD CUP: THE VIEWING DROUGHT
Who's Watching FIFA's Billion-Dollar Experiment?
Buried in the small print of FIFA's commercial calculations lies a rather inconvenient truth: nobody in America seems particularly bothered about the Club World Cup. According to Ampere Analysis, only 4% of US sports fans claimed interest in the tournament as of Q4 last year. That's roughly the same percentage of people who enjoy pineapple on pizza in Italy.
This presents FIFA with a delicious paradox. They've positioned the expanded 32-team tournament as a growth vehicle for football in America, yet American consumers appear about as enthusiastic as England fans discussing penalty shootouts. The fact that it's clashing with baseball rather than the NFL provides some breathing room, but when your baseline interest sits at 4%, you're essentially starting from statistical irrelevance.
DAZN's reported $1 billion global rights deal suddenly looks rather expensive when viewed through this lens. The streaming platform has managed to secure sub-licensing deals with various European broadcasters, but notable omissions include the BBC, ITV, and several major French and Spanish networks. In the UK, DAZN's reach extends to just 39% of the population for sub-licensed games - hardly the sort of penetration that sponsors crave.
The European timing is particularly brutal. Nearly half the matches will kick off at midnight or 3am Central European Time, which explains why major broadcasters are treating FIFA's tournament like a distant relative's wedding invitation - acknowledged but quietly ignored.
Perhaps most tellingly, while teams from the Premier League, La Liga, and Champions League are participating, some significant names like Liverpool and Barcelona are absent. It's rather like staging Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark - technically possible, but missing the point entirely.
The tournament's success hinges on building American audiences for the 2026 World Cup, but starting with 4% interest and requiring fans to discover DAZN feels like climbing Everest in flip-flops. Still, at least FIFA's 800-person Coral Gables office has something to justify their existence.
[Read more: SportsPro]
⚽ ARSENAL WOMEN: DOMESTIC BLISS AT THE EMIRATES
Arsenal Women Choose Quality Over Intimacy
In a move that will either be hailed as progressive or criticised as commercially driven (depending on your perspective), Arsenal Women will play all 11 WSL matches at the Emirates Stadium next season. This represents a significant shift from last season's nine Emirates fixtures, with the remaining two played at the rather more modestly appointed Mangata Pay UK Stadium.
The decision highlights the fascinating tension between commercial opportunity and supporter experience in women's football. Last season's average attendance of 34,110 across nine Emirates matches dwarfs most WSL venues, but the cavernous 60,000-capacity stadium can create an atmosphere reminiscent of a library during particularly intense study periods.
The club's handling of Champions League fixtures reveals a more nuanced approach to venue selection. While knockout matches will remain at the Emirates (subject to qualification), league phase games will move to Mangata Pay UK Stadium's more intimate 4,500 capacity following what the club diplomatically terms "engagement and feedback from supporters." Translation: watching European football in a three-quarters empty Emirates feels about as atmospheric as a morgue.
This stadium shuffle isn't without financial implications. The venue will receive "significant investment" to host UWCL matches, though one suspects this falls somewhat short of the £600 million Emirates makeover. It's the sort of infrastructure spend that reflects women's football's current position - serious enough to warrant investment, not quite serious enough to warrant serious investment.
The commercial benefits are undeniable. Arsenal Women sold 415,000 tickets last season - a 20% increase that would make most League Two clubs weep with envy. The introduction of full Emirates season tickets for the women's team represents another revenue stream, though presumably at pricing levels that won't require supporters to remortgage their homes.
Managing director Richard Garlick's comments about creating "a special home" and "opportunities for our community" strike the right notes, though one wonders whether the special home feeling extends to the nosebleed sections of the Emirates upper tier. Still, when you're reigning European champions, perhaps you've earned the right to play where the big boys do.
[Read more: The Stadium Business]
💼 JOBS IN FOOTBALL
Today's Opportunities for the Ambitious
Academy Sports Scientist - Leicester City FC, Leicester, UK
MSc required, BASES and UKSCA accreditation essential. Five years' experience minimum. Must be prepared for unsocial hours - presumably including Leicester's inevitable relegation battle anxiety sessions.
Apply hereFirst Team Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach - Leicester City Women FC, Leicester, UK
Fixed-term position for those brave enough to tackle the physical demands of professional women's football. 37.5 hours per week of ensuring peak performance.
Apply herePre-Academy Goalkeeping Coach - Fulham FC, London, UK
For those who enjoy working with the next generation of shot-stoppers. Must have patience for teenagers and an understanding that clean sheets are more aspirational than actual.
Apply hereCommunity Coach - Fulham FC Foundation, London, UK
Casual position delivering football programmes across Southwest London. Perfect for those who believe in sport's power to transform communities - and don't mind flexible scheduling.
Apply hereAcademy Host Family Provider - Crystal Palace FC, within three miles of BR3 1RJ
£25 per player per night to provide accommodation for academy players. Must offer double bedroom, enhanced DBS check required. For those who've always wanted to experience the joys of feeding teenage footballers.
Apply here
📈 MARKET WATCH
The retail partnership landscape continues evolving as clubs recognise the untapped potential of Asian markets. Liverpool's Japanese venture follows similar moves by Premier League rivals seeking revenue diversification beyond traditional European strongholds.
Meanwhile, FIFA's World Cup organisational chaos serves as a masterclass in how not to manage a global sporting event, raising serious questions about football's governing body's competence levels.
Tomorrow: Club World Cup kicks off - will anyone notice?