Liverpool have severely damaged their reputation in the eyes of fans this week – both Reds fans and with neutrals.
The Reds announced on Sunday night that they intended to join the European Super League, joining 11 clubs around Europe in a controversial proposal.
No promotion, no relegation, huge cash for owners and the risk of no more domestic football, these plans were met with anger from supporters.
Fans took down banners from inside Anfield, displayed anti-Fenway Sports Group messages outside the stadium and protested against the plans.
James Milner and Jurgen Klopp indicated they weren’t keen either, and on Tuesday night, Liverpool announced that they were backing out of the plans alongside five other Premier League sides.
Liverpool have also lost a sponsor, as TRIBUS – Liverpool’s official global wristwatch and timing partner since the start of this season – have pulled out of the Reds over the drama.
Now, TRIBUS co-founder James Ward – a Liverpool fan himself – has admitted that to the Liverpool Echo that it wasn’t an easy decision, but he had to take a stand against a proposal that so clearly went against his morals.
Ward loved being involved with Liverpool, but couldn’t stand by and accept these proposals, meaning he has taken the position to pull his company out of sponsoring Liverpool.
“From our point of view, we spoke to a few people internally inside the business last night and we’ve had a lot of support from everyone involved in the club, with the fans and football in general really,” said Ward. “With our values and morals as people and as a company, we felt that we really need to make this stance.”
“It’s never an easy decision and with a fan head on, we were not happy with the direction the club was going, but with a business head on, we had to think about it in a different light. It just wasn’t for us, the position the club had put itself in for us as a business to be honest.”
“We love the club and I couldn’t speak in higher regard for everyone involved at Liverpool Football Club. As a fan it was a dream come true to combine our two passions, I suppose, Liverpool Football Clubs and Swiss watches was great. But obviously since then there have been plenty of developments as everyone knows and the world has seen. It was just all around our values as a company really,” he added.
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