LiverpoolFC_HicksGillett

£ 3 Billion offer from INL News Group
to purchase Liverpool Football Club

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INL News World Exclusive

£3 billion Offer from

the INL News Group

to purchase

Liverpool Football Club

 

The INL Group have made an offer of £3 billion pounds to purchase the Liverpool Football Club from well known USA and Canadian Sports Cub owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

 

The INL News Group is planning to float it's UK corporate vehicle on the London Stock Exchange in 2009 which will give the dedicated and loyal members and fans of the Liverpool Football Club a chance to satisfy their long term aim take up shares in the new Float and be part owners of the Liverpool Football Club.





George Gillet and Tom Hicks
having just purchased
the Liverpool Footbal Club


FEBRUARY 6 2007
Gillett targets Liverpool fans in Latin America

Reuters

The U.S. sports tycoons buying Liverpool see opportunities to build the Premier League club's following in Latin America and will be cautious about spending too much on players, one of them said on Tuesday.

"We've got a Spanish coach and a number of Spanish players, and I think we can grow our fan base in Central and South America and Mexico," George Gillett told Reuters in a telephone interview, noting that his partner in the deal, Tom Hicks, has large investments in Latin American cable.

Liverpool, the five-times European Cup winners, already have many supporters in Asia but are still behind major rivals Manchester United when it comes to overseas interest. 

Gillett and Hicks, who both own U.S. sports teams, said earlier on Tuesday they would pay 5,000 pounds per Liverpool share and purchase the club for 219 million pounds ($428.5 million), including debt.

They plan to finance a new 60,000-seat stadium and are contemplating selling the naming rights to help pay for it. At the same time, Gillett said, they will be cautious about overspending as owners.

"In the history of sports, it's been proven time and again that teams that are bought and built with money aren't sustainable," said Gillett, who has owned TV stations, ski resorts and meat and poultry processors.

"The last time the Yankees won was 2000," he said, referring to the U.S. baseball powerhouse owned by George Steinbrenner who are repeatedly accused of paying top dollar for the best players at the expense of teams that cannot afford to do so. 

It's not just about spending money," Gillett said. "We believe in the Rafa (Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez) concept. That doesn't mean going out and being crazy with expenditures. It's finding the right people with the right mix and the right skill sets and different ages."

Gillett and Hicks also left open the possibility of raising ticket prices with Liverpool seats comparatively cheaper than some other top-flight teams. 

"We know the facts," Gillett said, referring to the disparity in ticket prices. "I don't think we've come to a conclusion on that, though."

The pair sealed the deal for Liverpool after rivals Dubai International Capital withdrew a bid last week. Gillett credited his partner for the victory.

"When we added the Hicks family to our bid, we overcame apprehensions (Liverpool management) may have had about a single family, no matter how wealthy, competing in the new Premiership," Gillett said, adding that they did have the higher bid.

The duo join compatriots Malcolm Glazer and Randy Lerner in owning English soccer clubs, but the growing roster of Americans can present its own cultural stumbling blocks.

Gillett, for example, was quickly criticised in UK media for using the word "franchise" to describe Liverpool during a news conference on Tuesday.

"I understand it's a club," Gillett said. "I used franchise incorrectly at the news conference, but in later interviews corrected myself."





Liverpool FC co-owner George Gillett to brave hot Anfield reception

Sep 12 2008 by Ian Doyle,
Liverpool Daily Post

GEORGE GILLETT is prepared to brave a hostile atmosphere by attending tomorrow’s Premier League showdown with Manchester United.

The Liverpool co-owner is expected to take his place in the directors’ box for the lunchtime clash with the Old Trafford outfit.

It would be Gillett’s first public appearance on Merseyside since he visited for the last home game against Manchester United nine months ago.

The Anfield club yesterday refused to confirm or deny whether Gillett will be present.

But his possible presence would coincide with fans group Spirit of Shankly staging a major demonstration and march against Gillett and fellow owner Tom Hicks.

The catalyst for the latest protest was the announcement that construction of the proposed new stadium on Stanley Park will be delayed by at least a year due to financial problems faced by the pair.

Such off-field activities threaten to once again overshadow Liverpool’s latest attempt to score a first Premier League victory over United under Rafael Benitez.

No Liverpool player has even scored in the fixture since Danny Murphy’s winning penalty at Old Trafford in April 2004.

And Jamie Carragher reckons the Anfield outfit haven’t merited victory during that barren period.

“I’m not a great believer in being lucky or unlucky,” he said. “I’m a big believer in ‘you get what you deserve’.

“United over the last few years have probably edged it with us and small details in football make a difference. That’s why they’ve been better than us and that’s something we need to liven up.

“Hopefully we can get the three points and that will give us a bit of confidence for the season ahead.”

Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres could yet recover from their respective groin and hamstring injuries to start tomorrow, although the final decision will rest with Benitez.

Andrea Dossena, meanwhile, has been backed to overcome an indifferent start to his Liverpool career by producing the form that has forced his way back into the Italy side.

Dossena, who was 27 yesterday, played the full 90 minutes as Marcelo Lippi’s side beat Georgia 2-0 in their World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.

And Benitez said: “It is good for Dossena to play for his national team because it will give him more confidence.

“We are happy with him because we know that he is a good player and he is working hard but we also know that he can get better.

“He has done okay so far and he performed well in our last game at Aston Villa, but there is still more to come.

“It is not easy to come to a new country to play for a new club and to get used to their system, but Dossena is keen to learn and he will get better with more games and more time.”



Liverpool FC owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett in peace pact

JUN 20 2008 BY DAVID PRENTICE, LIVERPOOL ECHO
 LISTEN to the interview with George Gillett on Canadian station Fan590 here
GEORGE GILLETT
 has revealed that Liverpool's feuding co-owners are trying to patch up their differences.

And he has suggested that he and Tom Hicks were now trying to revive a partnership he had previously described as “unworkable” – with a desire to help Rafa Benitez “be more competitive in the chase for the Premiership.”

But the Reds co-owner pointedly refused to discuss whether he still intended to sell his half of the club.

Gillett gave a rare interview to Canadian radio station Fan590 late last night, when he revealed: “It’s fair to say that communication between the Hicks and the Gilletts has been substantially improved and I believe that it will be for the benefit of the club.”

After his last appearance on the same station led to a public and apparently irretrievable breakdown of the working relationship with Tom Hicks, this time he said: “Time is a healer and there were things that had happened previously. It took a while for both of us to realise that we weren’t communicating very well and the huge responsibility we have to the fans to do the right thing for the club.

“I believe that the Hicks family are communicating better with us and we’re communicating better with them and I think that will be much better for the club.”

Asked whether the ‘For sale signs had now come down,’ he declared: “I’m not going to comment on anything specifically.”

But he did add: “All of us are focused on the transfer window and we want to be ready for that and we want to have adequate resources and good communication with Rafa and our hope is that we’re making better progress.

“What did I think of last season’s performance?

“I’d would rather let the fans make that decision. But for a club that has a history of winning trophies, any season that you don’t win one of the five or six trophies that we compete for, I suspect the fans, as well as the Hicks and Gilletts, are disappointed.

“But overall I felt that the team played quite well, particularly beginning and late.

“I think they were very representative and I think Torres was a wonderful selection.

“By summer I think the rest of the boys played quite well and we have to help Rafa try and be more competitive in the chase for the Premiership.”

Gillett’s interview does not confirm whether his long term ambition is still to sell out his half of the club, but it does show that he is prepared to bury his differences with Tom Hicks in the short term.

Interviewer Bob McCown admitted that the radio station had been “inundated with e-mails from Great Britain” when it was advertised that the American was due to be a guest on the show.

And Gillett admitted he had been taken by surprise at the levels of passion shown by Liverpool supporters worldwide.

“It was really amazing,” he said. “Soccer is the leading sport in the world and it’s just shocking how popular Liverpool is. So it surprised me, but it really is an amazing responsibility.

“We’ve always felt that for the 40-plus years I’ve been around professional sport that we really hold these assets in trust for the fans and that we have an obligation to the fans. We feel that very strongly in Montreal and Liverpool.”

* LISTEN to the interview with George Gillett on Canadian station Fan590 here

daveprentice@liverpoolecho.co.uk

Liverpool Football Club 2007 sale

The club was taken over by two Americans in February 2007, with Tom Hicks, co-founder of the US investment firm Hicks Muse, Tate and Furst, providing half the equity for George Gillett's successful bid.

Turnover and pre-tax profit figures are in millions.

Website: www.liverpoolfc.tv

    
Hicks, Tom

TOM HICKS ON RAFA, DIC AND HIS FUTURE 
Paul Hassall 27 January 2008
In an interview with Radio 5 live's 'Sportsweek' programme, Liverpool co-chairman Tom Hicks has spoken about his future, the DIC rumours, Rafa Benitez and much more. Read the full transcript now.

How do you feel now that you have finally completed the refinancing of the club? 
  
Well we are happy to get it behind us. It should have happened weeks ago but these things take longer. But it's all done, we are pleased and we are going about our business. 
  
What are the implications of this refinancing deal? 
  
Well it refinances the original loan we took on when we bought the club and more importantly it provides the capital for the next year and a half to take the stadium forward and as soon as we complete approval process and our judicial review we'll start digging in Stanley Park and get it going. 
  
So you can confirm that you want to be involved with Liverpool for the foreseeable future? 
  
Absolutely. I'm learning a lot about the club, I'll learn even more over the coming years but I think it has the most fantastic fan base and I'm very excited about the future of the club. People will come to realise that the new stadium will be the finest football stadium in the world and everybody in Liverpool should be very proud of it. 
  
In the past fortnight you have insisted you do not want to sell the club. Is that still 100 per cent the case? You can confirm that you won't sell to DIC or anyone? 
  
Absolutely not. I've learned a lot about British tabloids and I'm sure people already know about that. That was never a serious possibility. 
  
So even if someone like DIC came in and offered a huge amount for the club, you would still say no? 
  
My answer would be that I can't think of a price for which I would want to sell and I have no interest in selling at all. The DIC people are professional and wouldn't do that anyway. 
  
Have you ever thought about selling Liverpool to DIC? 
  
No. I never have. 
  
So you have never negotiated with them at any point? 
  
Well I did talk to them once about a 10-15 per cent participation but that was months ago and we gave them a valuation for which we would accept a minority investor and they thought the valuation was too high. We've had no conversation of substance since then. 
  
So that 10-15 per cent would have been as part shareholder in your business? 
  
Yes they would have been a minority investor and we would have used that capital to help build the new stadium. But we'll find other ways to capitalise the new stadium in a couple of years. Right now we've got the capital and I've put in a lot of money. We will put in more if we need to and we are going to design the best football stadium in the world and we'll end getting permanent capital for it when we need to further down the road. 
  
Having spoken to the Dubai investors regarding a 15 per cent share, would you still be interested if other investors came in? 
  
Well I can't predict the future. I know what we are doing right now and we'll let the future unfold. The fans should know we are building the best football ground in the world in Stanley Park and we've got a great manager in Rafael Benitez who has our support. We had a lot of consternation about Rafa. But after our meeting on December 16 with Rafa, where he really showed his strong intent to do the right things with us and by the club, he's been a gentleman ever since and we've had much better communication. He's got our total backing. I've made that very clear. We've funded transfer requests in January and we are talking about things for the summer. Rafa's going to be our manager. He's got a contract here for two more years and hopefully longer than that. 
  
As someone who has been successful both at Valencia and Liverpool - do you think Rafa is doing a good job this season? 
  
Well we can do better. The club knows that, the players know that and Rafa knows that. That's what it's all about - the players and what happens on the pitch. The tabloids like to have lots of fun with other issues but it's all about how we play and it's time for this club to win. 
  
So you will definitely be honouring Benitez's contract for the two years that it has to run? 
  
As far as I'm concerned Rafa Benitez will be here for at least the length of his contract. 
  
But you have admitted to approaching Klinsmann. Can you honestly say you have no-one else lined up for the job of manager of Liverpool Football Club? 
  
No. That was then and it was a long time ago. He's got a contract in Germany so he won't be part of our plans ever again. 
  
What about your partnership with George Gillett. There have been suggestions you do not get on? 
  
George and I get along fine. Sometimes we don't agree but that's what business partnerships are all about. 
  
You're certain that there's no chance he will split from you and do a deal with DIC? 
  
No that was never a possibility. 
  
So in five years time you expect to still be the owner of Liverpool FC? 
  
There is no question in my mind. I want to win the support of our fans with my actions. I want to get out of the tabloids, out of the blogs. I just want them to watch my actions and not read somebody else's words. 
  
Why do you want to own Liverpool? 
  
Well I own three clubs and I have a real passion for all three of them. I think it's a great way to invest my money. I believe in what is going to happen with global television and internet growth for teams. I love it. I'm a big fan and I watch all the games on television. I couldn't watch the Havant game because it wasn't on TV but I got the reports on the website. I wish I could come over for every game but it's a long way. I plan to come to more. I love baseball, I love hockey and I love football.
  
In terms of money for the players, do you anticipate any further additions to the squad before the end of January? 
  
We have never turned down Rafa's request for money on any player he has asked for. If you look at the signings last summer and this month it shows that. We are already having conversations about the summer. You'll have to ask Rafa about that but we've never turned him down. 
  
There's a lot of speculation about whether you will complete a £17million deal for Javier Mascherano. Are you prepared to endorse that transfer? 
  
Absolutely. 
  
And finally, what is your message to Liverpool supporters today? 
  
Well we are on our way. We are going to build the greatest football stadium in the world. We've got a great manager, great fans and it's time to put all the press frenzy behind us and move down the road. 
  
There's no question you will be selling the club then? 
  
There's no question in my mind.



STATEMENT FROM TOM HICKS 
Paul Eaton 10 March 2008
"Based on a meeting held earlier today in Dubai between my representatives and officials of Dubai International Capital LLC, as well as other recent contacts between us and them, I have decided to terminate any further discussions with DIC regarding their possible purchase of a minority stake in Kop and, in turn, in the Club. 
  
"DIC made it clear that if they invested in the Club, they would want it to be managed by committee. Based on my thirteen years of successful experience as an owner of professional sports teams, and based in particular on the situation at Liverpool Football Club over the past year, it is clear to me that such a committee approach would not be in the best interest of Kop, of the Club or of the Club's loyal and passionate supporters. 
  
"Accordingly, I have decided to exercise my right under the Kop Football (Holdings) Limited partnership agreement to veto any sale of any portion of Kop and the Club to DIC. 
  
"I and my colleagues and representatives will continue to explore a number of other options with regard to the ownership of Kop and the Club aimed at achieving an appropriate ownership, financial and organizational structure for Kop and the Club over the long term."

Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett hit out at cash crisis rumours

No crisis:
George Gillett and Tom Hicks have reacted to rumours of impecunity at Anfield
Photo: PA

Liverpool's American owners have firmly rejected suggestions that they are facing serious problems with debt amid the pressure of the global credit crunch.


 

INL News Group World Exclusive

£3 billion Offer from

the INL News Group

to purchase

Liverpool

Football Club


The INL Group have made an offer of £3 billion pounds to purchase the Liverpool Football Club from well known USA and Canadian Sports Cub owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

The INL News Group is planning to float it's UK corporate vehicle on the London Stock Exchange in 2009 which will give the dedicated and loyal members and fans of the Liverpool Football Club a chance to satisfy their long term aim take up shares in the new Float and be opart owners of the Liverpool Football Club.

The INL News Group feels that the ownership of the Liverpool Football will help develop INL News Limied (UK) into a 300 billion pound world wide media group with web development, TV, theatre, film, music, dance, art productions and promotions, as well as the ownership of the best Football Club in the UK.

The shares will be offered at a discount to members and supporters of the Liverpool Football Club, giving them a chance of on a share of their favourite and much loved footbal club as well as build up a good asset and income form these shares for themselves

The INL News Group will fund the building of the new Liverpool Stadium and any other expansion money the club needs.

A spokesman from the INL News Group, says the INL News Group is looking forward to working the Liverpool Football Club and its members and supporters and the Share Liverpool Football Club Group (SLFCG), led by high-profile Liverpool fans.

A take over of the Liverpool Footbal Club by the INL News Group with work in with the plans of Share Liverpool Football Club Group (SLFCG) hwo have been hoping to launch a £550m buy-out of the club from its American owners. They have looking for 100,000 supporters keen to put in  £10,000 to buy the shares in a public vehicle that buys the Liverpool Football Club.

This will raise a further £1 million pounds which will be used as working capital to support the club in future years and make the club financially strong for generations to come.

Anyone interested in obtaining shares in the Liverpool Footbal Club please contact

Contact ShareLiverpoolFC


info@shareliverpoolfc.com


 

Who Is Involved with Share Liverpool FC?


Michael Jayson is a Partner of Horwath Clark Whitehill LLP, where he is the Head of assurance services in the North West. He has played leading roles in working on transactions and providing consultancy and assurance services to a variety of mutual and membership led organisations including co-operatives, building societies and industrial & provident societies. He is therefore familiar with the differing requirements and challenges that financing and governance can pose for this diverse range of entities. He is a lifelong Liverpool fan.

Other Board members:

John Aldridge is a former Liverpool player and currently a broadcaster, commentator & columnist at the Liverpool Echo.

Barrie Baxter, CEO, Brixx Solutions, is a lifelong Reds fan. He has been General Manager, Director and VP at IBM, Compaq, Fujitsu and Dell. Currently, Barrie owns and runs a software company Brixx Group which produces Business Modeling Applications. Many Premiership/Championship clubs use the Brixx software for their business modeling, including Liverpool Football Club.

Liz Crolley has been a season ticket holder on the Kop for over 25 years. In 1992, as a leading member of the local branch of the Football Supporters Association (and with fluent Italian), she represented Liverpool fans in liaison with the local authorities in Genoa, in the days leading up to LFC's first game back in Italy since the Heysel Disaster. Liz currently works at the Football Industry Group at the University of Liverpool where she teaches part of the Football MBA programme, and (fluent also in Spanish) she has a good understanding of how football clubs are organised abroad, especially in Spain where democratically-structured football clubs are not unusual. She is co-author of several books on football

Peter Furmedge has been a Kop Season Ticket holder since 1981/82. He was a founder member of Liverpool Supporters Union (nowSpirit of Shankly). Peter is a Qualified accountant (ACCA), and currently works as Chief Executive, Social Enterprise Network on Merseyside.

Peter Furmedge has been a Kop Season Ticket holder since 1981/82. He was a founder member of Liverpool Supporters Union (nowSpirit of Shankly). Peter is a Qualified accountant (ACCA), and currently works as Chief Executive, Social Enterprise Network on Merseyside.

Martin McEwan has a distinguished marketing background in industry, charitable, political and public sectors at strategic level, including global marketing strategy, research, segmentation, comprehensive branding and other marketing communications. Martin now runs an international marketing consultancy, McEwan Hackett International Marketing. He's been a Red for over 30 years.

Martin McEwan has a distinguished marketing background in industry, charitable, political and public sectors at strategic level, including global marketing strategy, research, segmentation, comprehensive branding and other marketing communications. Martin now runs an international marketing consultancy, McEwan Hackett International Marketing. He's been a Red for over 30 years.

Rogan Taylor, Kop season ticket holder and LFC fan for over forty years; founder member and Chair of the Football Supporters Association, launched in Liverpool after the Heysel Stadium Disaster in 1985. Rogan is currently the Director of the Football Industry Group at the University of Liverpool where he pioneered the world's first MBA programme which specialises in football business.


Steering Group Members:

Nicky Allt
 is a well known Liverpool author/playwright ('Here we go gathering cups in May', 'Brick up the Mersey Tunnels') and a lifelong Reds fan. He was a leading figure and founder member in the emergence of the Liverpool Supporters Union (now the Spirit of Shanklymovement).

Bernard O'Byrne is the ShareLiverpoolFC National Co-ordinator for Ireland. Following a senior business career spanning over 25years with Coca-Cola, Nestle and CRH Plc he became C.E.O. of the Football Association of Ireland in 1996 and served for five years, during which time he also served on various U.E.F.A. committees. A Liverpool fan for over 40 years he is presently C.E.O. of The Mansfield Group which incorporates Hotels, Golf Courses, construction activity and a private Airport in Ireland.

Keith Featherstone, a Liverpudlian and lifelong Liverpool fan, is one of the senior partners in the London Office of the International law firm Fried Frank. He is the head of Fried Frank's European tax practice and has over 20 years experience in the City advising leading multinational companies, investment banks, investment funds and private equity houses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, structuring investments, corporate restructuring, the capital markets and all other forms of financing arrangements.

Kevin Jaquiss works in the law firm, Cobbetts, the top UK firm for co-operative and mutual law which has played a leading role in the development of mutuals and co-operatives in housing, health and education. Kevin was part of the group which developed the Supporters Trust concept and wrote the model constitution which is now used by over 100 football club trusts in England, Wales and Scotland.

James Maxton is the corporate affairs Manager at ASDA. He brings nearly 12 years PR experience in a variety of consultancy and in-house roles including five years working in football and sport sponsorship PR. James worked with Carlsberg for its sponsorship of Liverpool, England Team, Euro 2004, FA Cup and official beer clubs. He's worked closely with people in and around Liverpool Football Club and has an understanding of how the club works and the personalities involved.

Bill Rylance is Chairman, Asia Pacific & Vice Chairman, Global Development, Burson-Marsteller Worldwide. Born in Merseyside but has spent most of his professional life in Asia. He led the global communications programme for the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games Organising Committee and was integral in the worldwide campaign host the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan. In January this year, he was appointed the company's Vice Chairman for global development.

Madeleine Tan is a Singaporean, with considerable international experience as a management consultant covering Asia, the US and Europe, and a Liverpool fan since childhood.

George N. Gillett Jr.



  (born October 22, 1938, in Racine, Wisconsin) is an American businessman, owner of the ice hockey team Montreal Canadiens, and co-owner of English Premier League team Liverpool F.C. and the NASCAR auto racing teamGillett Evernham Motorsports.

Building his fortune through sports franchises and meat production with an estimated fortune of around US$1.1 billion as of November 2007, Gillett and his wife Rose live in Vail, Colorado, and have four sons: George III, Alexander, and twins Foster and Andrew (the latter twin is the only son not involved in the family business)

Biography


George Gillett attended Amherst College and is a graduate of Dominican College in Racine, Wisconsin.

In 1979 he launched Gillett Communications by buying three small television stations. Three years later he bought the WSMtelevision station in Nashville. In 1984 Gillett acquired Post Corporation's eight television stations, 22 newspapers and associated plant; the non-broadcast assets were sold to Thomson Corporation and other buyers. In 1987 he acquired Storer Broadcastingusing Kohlberg Kravis Roberts junk bonds, after the FCC lifted restrictions on ownership.

In 1985 Gillett acquired Vail Associates' Vail and Beaver Creek ski resorts, creating a new era with focus on customer service, Gillett redefined the ski experience and what it meant to be a world class resort. George would often ride chairlifts and greet guests, and launched a massive installation of high-speed detachable chairlifts thereby kick-starting the growth that would put Vail on the map as America's number one ski destination. Gillett also supported major alpine ski events at a time when most ski areas in America declined to host international races, starting with the 1989 World Alpine Ski Championships, and through his support hosted the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships[3].

Gillett's companies sought Chapter 11 protection in 1992 as higher interest rates penalised junk bond issuers. Gillett's media arm was reorganised as New World Communications under the control of Ronald Perelman.

After junk bonds

Gillett walked away with $32.1 million to restart his business empire when Vail floated on the NYSE.[4] In 1995 he repurchased Packerland undertaken by Booth Creek Management Corp., a company created to oversee the acquisitions and management of interests of the Gillett family from that point forwards, and of which Gillett remains Chairman.

In 1996 he formed Booth Creek Ski Holdings Inc., acquiring or building a range of ski resorts in New Hampshire, California,Washington and Wyoming. He later bought Grand Targhee Ski and Summer Resort, together with several golf courses.

From 1997 he extended his meat interests by building Corporate Brand Foods America (which included ITC, Iowa Ham, Jordan Meats and Wright Bacon), latterly bought by Iowa Beef Processors for US$550 million. Gillett and Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furstthen bought ConAgra's beef operations - Swift and Company - for US$1.4 billion in 2001.[5] In the meat business, Gillett now also controls:

  • Petaluma Poultry - natural and organic chicken products
  • Snowball Foods - food processor of turkey and chicken products
  • Kings Delight - food processor of turkey and chicken products
  • B3R Country Meats - processes fresh and frozen natural beef
  • Coleman Natural Products - processes fresh and frozen natural beef and lamb
  • Gerhard’s Napa Valley Sausage - a producer of gourmet sausage products made primarily from poultry

North American sports interests

After a failed bid in 2000 with Pat Bowlen and John Elway to buy the NBA Denver Nuggets, NHL Colorado Avalanche and Pepsi Center; on January 2, 2000 Gillett bought an 80% interest in the NHL Montreal Canadiens and their home arena, the Bell Centre, for US$185 million.[6] Gillett also owns the Gillett Entertainment Group, a Canadian-based sports and entertainment promoter.

On August 6, 2007, Gillett bought a controlling interest of the NASCAR team Evernham Motorsports from founder Ray Evernham, thereby forming Gillett Evernham Motorsports.[7]

On March 27, 2008, Joey Saputo, chairman of USL First Division team Montreal Impact, confirmed talks with Gillett and MLS for a Montreal franchise.[8]

Liverpool F.C.

Since October 2006, Gillett had been one of the parties interested in a proposed takeover of England 

football club Liverpool FC of the English Premiership.[9] In January 2007, Reports stated that Gillett had made another bid for Liverpool. On January 31, 2007,Dubai International Capital announced they had pulled out of the deal, giving Gillett the opportunity to buy the club from David Moores. On February 2, Gillett and Tom Hicks reached a deal with the clubs' board, which was sealed on February 6, thought to be worth in the region of £435 million: £220 million to buy out existing shareholders (including approximately £44.8 million of debt), and £215 million for the new stadium proposed at nearby Stanley Park. The Board unanimously recommended that the clubs' shareholders accept this offer.

On January 22, 2008 a majority of Liverpool fans, at the game between Liverpool and Aston Villa, protested against Gillett andHicks' running of the club, urging the pair to sell their shares in Liverpool FC to DIC. Neither owner, nor their representative Foster Gillett were present at the game. Gillett has reportedly been targeted by DIC to sell his shares. It has been reported that he has fallen out with Tom Hicks and in recent months has kept silent over his dealing with the club.[10] On March 7, 2008, it was reported that Gillett had agreed to sell 98% of his Liverpool stock to DIC,[11] but Hicks blocked the sale.[12] In an interview onPrime Time Sports in Canada, Gillett revealed that he and his family have received death threats from angry Liverpool fans: The fans don’t want him (Tom Hicks) to have even one share of my stake in the club, based on what they are sending to me. As a result of that we [my family] have received many phone calls in the middle of the night threatening our lives, death threats. A number came to the office and my son, Foster, and daughter-in-law, Lauren, have received them.[13]

OTHER INTERESTS

Gillett's other current business interests include:

  1. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/exclusions/hubpages/topusinuk/nosplit/topusinuk30-21.xml
  2. ^ ColoradoBiz Magazine
  3. ^ Colorado Ski Museum - News
  4. ^ High Country News - December 7, 1998: Vail and the road to a recreational empire
  5. ^ http://www.meatnews.com/mp/northamerican/dsp_article_mp.cfm?artNum=337&issueMonth=6&issueYear=2002
  6. ^ An American Buys the Canadiens - Montreal Canadiens may be purchased by businessman George Gillett, Jr - Brief Article | Hockey Digest | Find Articles at BNET.com
  7. ^ ESPN - Evernham sells majority share of team to Gillett - Nascar
  8. ^ "Gillett launches MLS bid", Sky Sports (2008-03-27). Retrieved on 27 March 2008.
  9. ^ Moores holds up Liverpool takeover - Football News - Telegraph
  10. ^ The Anfield Divorce - Anfield Online
  11. ^ SI.com - Soccer - DIC agrees to become Liverpool minority partner - Friday March 7, 2008 10:35PM,
  12. ^ Northcroft, Jonathan (2008-04-13). "Anfield anarchy", The Sunday Times, News International Group. Retrieved on 13 April 2008.
  13. ^ I can no longer work with Tom Hicks, says George Gillett Jr




Thomas O. Hicks, Sr. 


(born 1946 in Dallas, Texas but later moved to Port Arthur, Texas), is a Dallas businessman. According to Forbes Magazine 2008, Tom Hicks has an estimated wealth of $1.3 billion USD.

Hicks co-founded the investment firm, Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst, and is chairman of Hicks Holdings LLC, which owns and operates Hicks Sports Group, the company that owns the Texas Rangers, the Dallas Stars, Mesquite Championship Rodeo and also owns fifty percent of the English football club Liverpool FC. He is the uncle of the late comedian Bill Hicks.

 

The son of a Texas radio station owner, Hicks graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School, class of 1964 in Arlington, Texas. Hicks, as a brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon[1], received his Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Texas in 1968, and his MBA from the University of Southern California in 1970[2].

Hicks became interested in leveraged buyouts as a member of First National Bank of Austin's venture capital group. Hicks and Robert Haas formed Hicks & Haas in 1984; the next year that firm bought Hicks Communications, a radio outfit run by Hicks' brother Steven - the first of many media companies bought or created by the buyout firm, often with Steven Hicks' involvement.[citation needed]

Hicks & Haas' in the mid-1980s bought several soft drink makers, including Dr Pepper and 7 Up. The firm took Dr Pepper/7 Up public just 18 months after merging the two companies. In all, Hicks & Haas turned $88 million of investor funding into $1.3 billion. The pair split up in 1989; Hicks wanted to raise a large pool to invest, but Haas preferred to work deal by deal.[citation needed]

In 1989, Hicks co-founded the investment firm, Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst with former Prudential Securities banker John Muse. The firm raised $250 million, with early investments including Life Partners Group (life insurance, 1990; sold 1996). In 1991Morgan Stanley's Charles Tate and First Boston's Jack Furst became partners. Hicks was chairman from 1989 to 2004, Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst raised $12 billion of private equity funds, consummated over $50 billion of leveraged acquisitions, and was one of the most active private investment firms in the country.[citation needed]

But the business hit a rough patch by the early 2000s, when investors in Equity Fund IV were burned by a $1.2 billion plunge into telecom investments in 1999. Hicks announced that he would leave the firm on March 8, 2004 to spend more time with his family and his sports teams.

Retirement

Hicks formed Hicks Holdings, a vehicle for his billion-dollar sports and real estate empire, and then started buying companies again in the $10-million to $250-million level, including[3]:

  • electronics firm with 1,000 employees in China
  • started a new venture with DirecTV selling bundled TV-telecom services to condos
  • landscaping materials in the Midwest
  • pet food in Argentina
  • Gammaloy - an oil field rental outfit he bought from his wife's family, paying approximately $20 million in the 1990s.
Politics

Hicks was recently a member of the political action committee for the 2008 presidential election campaign for former RepublicanMayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani[4]

Tom Hicks Elementary School

Tom Hicks Elementary School in Frisco, Texas, part of the Lewisville Independent School District, was given its name after Hicks donated the necessary land for the school[5]

SPORTS

Hicks moved from the business pages to the sports section in December 1995 when he bought the 

National Hockey LeagueDallas Stars for $82 million[6].

Dallas Stars

Seven Division Championships, three Western Conference crowns, two Presidents' Trophies as the team with the best regular season record, two consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Finals and the 1999 Stanley Cup Championship are the highlights of the Dallas Stars' rapid ascent in the 11 years since Thomas O. Hicks contracted to purchase the hockey club in December 1995. Mr. Hicks serves as the Stars' Chairman of the Board and the club's representative on the NHL Board of Governors, and also played an instrumental role in the development and planning of American Airlines Center.[2]

Texas Rangers

In June 1998, Hicks became the Chairman and Owner of the Texas Rangers Baseball Club of the Major League Baseball’sAmerican League. Under Hicks ownership, the Rangers won the American League West Division crown in 1998 and 1999, but failed to deliver a World Series. After retirement from Hicks Muse Tate and Furst, and with the Rangers finished in last place in its division in 2003, Hicks promised to rebuild the team, shipping Alex Rodriguez ($252 million over 10 years) to the New York Yankees. Hicks serves on the Board of Directors of MLB Advanced Media, the internet-based subsidiary of Major League Baseball.

Liverpool F.C.

On February 1, 2007, it was made known through the English press that he was involved in a consortium with one-time friend andMontreal Canadiens owner George N. Gillett Jr. to purchase English Premiership club Liverpool F.C; this takeover proposal was believed to be the front runner after Dubai International Capital withdrew their bid.[7]. On February 6, 2007, Hicks & Gillett's joint offer for Liverpool was formally accepted, valuing the club at £218.9m ($432.9m) (£5,000 per share and £44.8m in debt).[8]. Liverpool became the third FA Premier League club to be acquired by U.S. businessmen, the others being Aston Villa andManchester United. After the bid was accepted, Hicks stated his foremost priority was gaining silverware, and vowed to build a new stadium for the club at Stanley Park Stadium.

  1. ^ http://www.texasifc.org/famousalums.htm
  2. ^ a b http://www.dallasstars.com/stars/bio-hicks.jsp
  3. ^ Morrison, Mark (2006-06-26). "This Buyout Game Ain't Over Yet". Business Week. The McGraw-Hill Companies. Retrieved on 2008-04-28.
  4. ^ RUDOLPH GULIANI FOR PRESIDENT - 2008
  5. ^ Tom Hicks Elementary School - Frisco, Texas - TX - school overview
  6. ^ Stars owner Hicks to buy Rangers for $250 million, - CBS News
  7. ^ BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Liverpool | Consortium pulls out of Reds bid
  8. ^ BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Liverpool | US pair agree Liverpool takeover

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