Millions of reasons why Liverpool are coming to Singapore

Liverpool is due to play Singapore in a match on July 26th at the National Stadium. It is part of their English Premier League pre-season tour that will also take them to Austria, Norway, Thailand and Spain.

Asia is particular attractive. The huge fan base allows them to attract appearance fees in the millions of dollars. While no official figure is available, a Liverpool appearance should command in the region of S$2 million. The Profitable Group, owned by ex-Liverpool player Steven McMahon, is the organiser for the game.

To recoup costs, the Profitable Group is pricing 50,000 tickets at S$88 each. In comparison, the cheapest ticket at the upcoming Pussycat Dolls at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in June is S$68, with the highest price ticket at S$148.

However, unlike a concert where the performers script a production to entertain, that is not (legally) allowed in a football game. Liverpool fans will hope that it doesn’t rain, it doesn’t end in 0-0 and they get to touch Steven Gerrard’s sweaty hand. In fact, given the ticket prices, some fans may actually prefer to see Liverpool score one goal per player for a “I-died-and-went-to-Anfield” score of 11-0 (sorry, Lions).

In addition to the appearance fees, Liverpool will also get accommodation and travel costs paid for.

These pre-season tours by English clubs are less about training than making money. Manchester United will embark on a similar tour in this part of the world in the coming months. They are expected in Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Jakarta and Hangzhou.

Manchester United commands more in appearance fees than Liverpool by virtue of having more recent success than a Liverpool side whose last championship title was in 1990.

Liverpool though, says the trip is all about the fans.

"It is about the fans, always about the fans, that's how we do anything we do," Liverpool's commercial director Ian Ayre was quoted as saying.

It’s certainly about the fans because they are hoping that fans will also buy 50,000 gallery tickets at $88 each with 5,000 grandstand tickets at $188. If all the tickets are taken up, the ticket revenue will be S$5.34 million.

Said long-time Liverpool fan Sa’at Abdullah: “$88? So expensive! I can bring my family to Lau Par Sat and eat until ‘vomit’.”

A family of four will be set back $352, not counting transport and food costs for the night out. You could fly to Bangkok and back with that amount.

Liverpool has a squad size of 62 players and a debt of £350 million. Steven Gerrard alone is reported to earn S$13 million a year while Fernando Torres pulls down S$9 million annually.

While Singaporeans will spit blood complaining about our prime minister and cabinet ministers earning over S$1 million each a year, they will stand in line to pay to watch one foreigner earning S$13 million a year.

Go figure.

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