New England Sports Ventures (NESV) has rebranded itself as Fenway Sports Group (FSG) and at the same time the former Fenway Sports Group, a branch of NESV, has changed its name to Fenway Sports Management.
The name change is part of a rebranding plan reflecting the organization’s increasingly expanded global interests and sets a broader course for future international ventures. The name change was effected after the organization’s October 2010 purchase of Liverpool FC and announced on March 22.
FSG's interests expand to international soccer
FSG’s portfolio of clubs and other entities include the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool, the former Fenway Sports Group (now Fenway Sports Management), 80% of New England Sports Network (NESN) and 50% of Roush Fenway Racing, a Nascar team.
FSG also owns Fenway Park and Liverpool FC’s Anfield Stadium. Liverpool is possessed in conjunction with several minority owners, including The New York Times and as of April 6, LeBron James. In that deal, James also entered into a partnership with Fenway Sports Management.
NESN delivers sports programming to over four million homes in the six-state region and nationally as NESN National.
On April 15, Thomas Dibenedetto, a partner to FSG and chairman of the Boston Red Sox, purchased 60% majority ownership of AS Roma in Boston. Although FSG is not directly involved in this transaction, the Red Sox organization is increasingly aware of international soccer. In February, Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino told NESN that he’d like to see Liverpool feature in the second annual Football at Fenway in 2011.
FSM connects U.S. and international sports markets
Fenway Sports Management now defines itself as specializing in “property representation, sponsorship sales, and brand management consulting, and serves as the global sports marketing and sales arm of Fenway Sports Group.”
Created in 2001 as Fenway Sports Group, FSM has been increasingly leading the organization into the deep waters of global enterprises over the past several years. In April 2010, FSM (formerly FSG) managing director Billy Hogan spoke with me about their mission to expand NESV outside baseball and into international soccer and beyond. Hogan then said the organization’s stated objective was, “We identify big ideas and make them happen.”
At that time, FSG was working with Creative Artists Agency and Boston’s Mayor Tom Menino to bring together Celtic and Rangers in Boston for the first annual Football at Fenway tournament. It would have been the first time the Scottish rivals ever opposed each other outside of Scotland. Ultimately, Celtic was paired with Sporting Portugal for that event.
Earlier in 2009, the former FSG also had a deal with Fulham to look for a U.S. jersey sponsor with interests reaching in Asian, European, and UK markets.
Separately from FSG, Fulham has been working with Professional Soccer Advisors' (PSA) prinicipal Steve Gans on stateside branding, revenue opportunities and understanding the American market. PSA is also a partner with Fenway Sports Group.
"Part of the reason EPL teams see opportunity here is they don’t think that MLS teams have captured the fancy of the fans," said Gans.
But as Fenway Sports Group and Fenway Sports Management increase their connections with the international game, they're learning a lot about how the EPL and foreign leagues capture that fancy and how that can work here in the United States.
FOLLOW BOSTON PRO SOCCER EXAMINER AND LE EISENMENGER ON TWITTER AND SUBSCRIBE TO EMAIL ALERTS.
Comments