Ayre Explains TV Comments

Ian Ayre insisted that Liverpool Football Club weren't looking to sell their own overseas television rights.

Clarifying comments made earlier this week regarding the sale of Barclays Premier League overseas rights, the Liverpool Managing Director claimed the debate needs to be opened up but believes his comments were taken out of context in the media.

Ayre told LFC TV's Friday Night Live: "What I said, and what we were trying to put forward - the debate we've been trying to open up - isn't about Liverpool wanting to breakaway and sell their own rights. That is not in any way what we were trying to say.

"What we are trying to say is that at the moment, the way the rights are sold collectively is great. It generates a significant amount of revenue, more than any other league, and that is fantastic.

"However, the way those values that come in are distributed is an issue we believe.

"What a lot of fans maybe don't know is the UK rights - the domestic rights which are about half of the total - the way they're distributed is 50 per cent is shared equally and the other 50 per cent is shared on the basis of how many times you're on TV while the second half of that is distributed on the basis of where you finish in the league. That is a mechanism that rewards success and therefore the more successful, bigger clubs get a bigger share.

"But internationally, the other half of the money that comes in is just divided by 20. I don't think that's right and I think the bigger clubs have a bigger appeal overseas, they're playing in bigger competitions in Europe playing against bigger clubs that have bigger revenues.

"What we're trying to do - and what I was trying to do when somebody asked me the question - was just explain that I think that's an issue.

"The question I was asked was about the European ruling on illegal pay TV and I said that's an issue, for certain - but I think the distribution issue also needs a debate.

"It's unfortunate that it's snowballed into some ridiculous tirade of media that's suggested that we were trying to run off and damage the league. We're Liverpool Football Club, that's not our game.

"It's something I'd like to see debated and I'd like to see addressed."

Ayre admits he was disappointed with the manner in which his comments were reported in the media.

He added: "It was like a bland comment really. Somebody asked me the question and I said the whole media rights landscape is very important, it represents about 95 per cent of the revenue we get from the league every year - it's bigger than sponsorship and all of those things from the league.

"It's a very, very important part of every football club. Not just Liverpool or the big clubs - every club in the league, even the clubs in the lower leagues because of the parachute payment. It's a very, very important subject.

"What I said is that I think it needs to be addressed because I don't think the balance is right.

"What it turned into was a torrent of 'Liverpool is going to break away and damage the league'. Quite clearly, I never suggested that."