4 REASONS FOR JEFF BEZOS TO BE BULLISH ON LIVERPOOL

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 06: Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between USA and Belgium at Seattle Stadium on July 06, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Soobum Im - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
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According to a report early Monday from Sky Sports, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is part of a consortium that is nearing a purchase of one-third of Liverpool Football Club. The transaction will value the famous English Premier League outfit at about $6 billion, per that report.

With a current net worth estimated at $283.8 billion, Bezos is the world’s third-wealthiest man. And while Amazon Prime Video has become an increasingly prominent player in the world of live sports TV rights, the investment would be Bezos’ first directly into a major professional sports team.

Bezos wouldn’t be anywhere close to a majority investor in the club, given that there are several members of the consortium that would take one-third control of the 20-time English league champions.

Even so, it’s intriguing that Bezos might begin his dalliance in sports ownership in the Premier League, rather than an American league such as the NFL, where he was once linked to a potential purchase of the Washington Commanders.

Why might one of the world’s most influential businessmen think the Premier League is the right place to invest right now? Read on for four possible reasons.

Bang for the Buck?

While $6 billion is a substantial figure, it’s less than half of the going rate for the Dallas Cowboys, currently the world’s highest valued sports franchise at $13 billion.

Yet Liverpool has exponentially more followers worldwide, a figure estimated in the hundreds of millions thanks to the Premier League’s unrivaled global distribution.

Of course, the overwhelming majority of Cowboys and other NFL fans live in United States, the world’s wealthiest economy, and it’s the NFL’s domination of that economy that leads to the high valuation of the Cowboys and other franchises. But there’s still a case that global soccer entities like Liverpool bring more for their investment buck.

Unique Growth Potential

The immediate aftermath of the 2026 World Cup in the United States could prove uniquely favorable when it comes to global soccer brands growing their profile among American audiences.

For better or worse, the assumption among sports media types has been that fans newly infatuated with the sport will seek to continue their interest by watching the Premier League, rather than MLS or other domestic U.S. leagues. And there could be a lot of those folks if the TV numbers are any indication.

The final between Spain and Argentina on July 19 drew an audience of more than 60 million viewers in the United States, according to data provided by rights holders Fox and Telemundo. That made it the most-watched non-NFL sporting event in the U.S. since the Nancy Kerrigan-Tanya Harding scandal captivated audiences at the 1994 Winter Olympic Games.

Premier League audiences on NBC have already proved sizable, rivaling national NBA or MLB regular season broadcasts on network TV.

More Revenue Control

Unlike NFL franchises, which operate with widespread revenue sharing between the 32 teams, Liverpool FC and other huge soccer brands have more control over their own revenue generation.

Money from the Premier League’s TV contracts are distributed partially by merit, meaning higher achieving clubs and those appearing in more televised games take in a larger share. And unlike the NFL, soccer clubs keep all of the revenue they generate from commercial partnerships, matchday revenue and merchandise sales.

If this is truly a watershed moment for major European soccer in the U.S., the revenue potential of that moment may be even larger than an equivalent opportunity within U.S. pro sports leagues.

Better Competitive Prospects

After a famously long drought, Liverpool have won two of the last seven English Premier League titles. And with Pep Guardiola departing as Manchester City manager following last season, it feels like there is an opportunity for another club to overtake City as the dominant force in English football.

Liverpool certainly won’t be the only team trying to do that. But they are among the clubs most suited to be successful, given the combination of their recent upward trends and history of success.

On the flip side, global soccer isn’t constrained by the same North American competitive models that create the parity of the NFL. Only seven clubs have won the Premier League since it split from the old English Football League in the early 1990s. So if Liverpool can emerge as the new dominant force, their place atop the English football pecking order could become relatively stable.

- Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes

WHAT VIRGIL VAN DIJK, ANDY ROBINSON AND ARNE SLOT SAID ABOUT MOHAMED SALAH 'APOLOGY' IN MILAN

Liverpool's manager, captain and vice-captain were all asked about the absent Salah after the Reds won 1-0 at the San Siro on Tuesday

Virgil van Dijk spoke about Mohamed Salah's situation(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)

Mohamed Salah wasn't in Milan in person, but that didn't stop him being a topic of conversation after Liverpool pulled off an excellent 1-0 win over Inter Milan courtesy of a late Dominik Szoboszlai penalty.

The Hungarian's spot kick - controversially awarded after a tug of Florian Wirtz's shirt - restored a feelgood factor to Liverpool after Salah's extraordinary outburst following Saturday's 3-3 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road which has placed his future at he club in serious doubt.

Broadcasters Amazon Prime Video were keen to get the views of Liverpool's captain, vice-captain and head coach following the victory, specifically around whether or not Salah had apologised to the club and his team-mates, and here's what all of them said:

Dominik Szoboszlai fired home the only goal(Image: Getty Images)

Ian Doyle

Mohamed Salah sees one Liverpool role filled already as Arne Slot gets message he was waiting for

Liverpool FC

Arne Slot guided Liverpool to a 1-0 win at Inter Milan(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

Paul Gosrt

Arne Slot yet to answer £200m Liverpool question as Reds boss sends Ibrahima Konate message

 Liverpool FC

 "Obviously it's difficult but its a collective difficult situation we're all in. Obviously between Mo and the club things are going on and the consequences means he is not here today. That is the reality but nothing changes for our motivation to get results for the club."An apology? I don't think I am the one who has to speak about if someone has to apologise. It's him airing his feelings, and that is something the club has to deal with and me as well. Nothing has really changed, we've have our responsibility. So the focus was there. Nothing has changed and he trained as well by the way.""The reality is Mo is also going to Africa at the weekend, I have known Mo for such a long time, been through a lot, highs and lows, we're a big part of this at LFC, so we speak and those types of things will stay indoors as they should. And we as a team of players we raise ourselves and be against the outside noise and I encourage the players to listen."

Vice-captain Andy Robertson

"A tough situation obviously. We are talking about, for me, one of the greatest players to ever play for the club.

"Whatever happens happens internally now and we are all together and that's the main thing in the changing room and I think you can see that today.

"(Will it be resolved?) That will be up to other people, it's not up to me. I love playing with Mo Salah and hope to continue to play with him."

And head coach Arne Slot told the broadcaster, including pundit Clarence Seedorf who had asked about a potential apology from Salah:

"I think tonight it should be all about a team like this tonight, against a team like this who are winning and a stadium like this. The focus should be on that tonight. I can fully understand if I go into the press conference on Friday and all the questions are on Mo but I think these players deserve for it to be about them tonight."You say everyone makes mistakes in life but then it should be does the player think he has made a mistake as well? And then the next question is does this come from me or him?"

Slot was later asked about Salah again at his post match-press conference, and brought up Seedorf's words:

"I am happy that you asked that," he said. "Clarence said that in his opinion [Mo and I should speak] and I said that is his opinion and I didn’t say anything about who should make the first step or whatever.

"It was his opinion and I am happy I can clarify that so the headline tomorrow is not what I have said. It was [Seedorf's] opinion. Where I stand on that is that tonight it should be all about the players that are here.

"In the rich history of Liverpool, they have had many of these evenings, but after the season we are in, if you have an away win in this stadium against this team then it should be about the midfield or about Ibou (Konate) or the players who are here. They deserve all the credit.

"I can understand on Friday I will get a lot of questions about other things but tonight it is about the ones who are here."

- Paul Gorst & Mark Jones

WHY JAKE PAUL VS. MIKE TYSON VIEWERS WITH NETFLIX SUBSCRIPTIONS COULD STILL BE FINED £1,000

Jake Paul faces Mike Tyson in a highly anticipated showdown on Friday, but Netflix customers in the UK have been warned they could still face a huge fine for tuning into the fight

Adam Davis

Viewers planning to watch Jake Paul face Mike Tyson have been warned they may face a substantial fine, even if they have a Netflix subscription.

Tyson's first professional boxing bout since 2005 is set to take place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in front of a capacity crowd of 80,000. In a unique situation for UK fans, the fight will not be available on pay-per-view through Sky Sports or TNT.

Instead, it will be accessible to all new and existing Netflix subscribers, allowing them to watch on various devices, including iPads, mobile phones, and televisions. However, the Daily Express reported those planning to tune in will still need to exercise caution after the BBC warned fans will still require a valid TV licence.

In a statement released earlier this year, the network reiterated its rules regarding streaming services, specifically mentioning UK residents using Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube to watch live programme coverage. And it's enough to put potential spectators on alert.

"A TV licence is needed to watch live content on streaming services, watch or record a TV programme on any channel and when using BBC iPlayer," read the statement. "Further information is available on the TV Licensing website or via the customer services team, who can help with any queries."

Those who risk watching the fight live without a TV licence could face a fine of up to £1,000. This comes despite the Government's promise in October to review the enforcement of licence-related penalties.

It remains uncertain how many viewers will subscribe to watch the bout, especially as organisers have reduced ticket prices in an attempt to fill the arena. According to Gametime, the lowest ticket price is now approximately £55, a decrease from £72 last week.

The cheapest seat was reportedly valued at around £103 in October. When the contest was initially planned for July, the best available price was more than £329.

That first date was postponed after Tyson, 58, experienced an ulcer flare-up on a plane. This sparked concerns about whether 'Iron Mike', who is 31 years older than his YouTuber opponent, was fit enough to return to the ring.

The fight is set for eight two-minute rounds, and knockouts are allowed. The pair participated in an open workout with fans on Tuesday, where the former undisputed heavyweight champion seemingly surprised spectators with his intense approach to the bags.

- Rosina Butcher

CANELO VS. MUGUIA: UNDERCARD DRAWS CRITICISM AHEAD OF SATURDAY NIGHT SHOWDOWN

 Fans are questioning the hefty $89.99 price tag for this Saturday’s Canelo Alvarez vs. Jaime Munguia PPV card, given that the undercard lacks any interesting fights to justify the high cost of ordering the event on Amazon Prime Video and DAZN PPV.

 Canelo (60-2-2, 39 KOs) will defend his undisputed super middleweight championship against Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) in the main event. That’s a solid match-up, but it’s not the blockbuster that would justify the near hundred-dollar price the organizers are charging for the event.

The Warm-Up Undercard Fights

Mario Barrios vs. Fabio Maidana: In the co-main event, Mario Barrios will defend his WBC interim welterweight title against Fabian Maidana, who is best known for being related to Marcos Maidana. Fabian isn’t ranked in the top 15, and his best career win came against Andrey Klimov in 2018.

Brandon Figuera vs. Jessie Magdaleno: Former WBA super bantamweight champion Figueroa (24-1, 18 KOs) lost to his title in 2021 and now holds the WBC featherweight interim belt after beating Mark Magsayo. Figueroa will defend his interim belt against the 32-year-old former WBO 122-lb champion Magdaleno (29-2, 18 KOs), who is coming off a one-sided 12-round unanimous decision against Raymond Ford last April.

Eimantas Stanionis vs. Gabriel Maestre: Stanionis defends his WBA ‘regular’ welterweight title against #4 ranked WBA contender Maestre (6-0-1, 5 KOs) Maestre is a 2012 Olympian from Venezuela, who hasn’t been tested at the professional level against quality opposition yet. He has a 10-round draw against Taras Shelestyuk in 2022.

Organizers Need to Sweeten the Deal

Fans feel the Canelo-Munguia fight is not interesting enough to warrant the steep price without a worthwhile undercard.  They see the undercard as being just thrown together with washed-up guys and paper champions.

Stanionis and Barrios aren’t viewed as true champions, and Figueroa and Magadeno are viewed as over-the-hill. Fabian Maidana isn’t a world-class fighter, and Maestre is an older guy with 7 fights on his resume against weak opposition, and he already has a draw on his resume.

Given the poor undercard, fans aren’t excited about paying the $89.99 price tag to order the Canelo-Munguia card on Amazon Prime Video PPV, DAZN PPV, and PPV dot com.

The organizers aren’t going to drop the price of the event, but it would be in their best interest to add a worthy fight to the undercard to motivate fans to purchase the event and give the ones that have their money’s worth.

- Tim Compton