Peter Moore: Making The Right Decisions

For Peter Moore, it is all about winning. To win is about making the right decision; it is as simple as that. As the CEO of Liverpool Football Club, the new Champions of the EPL, there is nobody better to comment. Here we explore in detail what impact Moore has had at the club and why his influence might have something to do with their success. 

The history

Moore came to Liverpool in 2017. He previously worked in the video game sector for mega-companies such as Sega, EA Sports and Microsoft. This might seem like an odd background for the CEO of a sporting franchise. However, there are a lot of crossovers in terms of keeping a fanatical base happy under immense pressure. Therefore, his move from gamers to football fans wasn’t a massive deal to the new CEO. 

You also shouldn’t doubt this British-American’s businessman’s passion for the city. He was born in Liverpool and studied at nearby Keele University.  He received his Master’s degree in California before spending some time as a PE teacher in North Wales. Such a unique CV might have you doubting his vision, but he has always been connected with business and sport in some way - therefore business boss at the leading football club in the world seems a fitting place for the man to end up.

It is also not surprising that Moore was chosen to run the business side of the club when the owners of Liverpool are the American’s Fenway Sports Group. Moore then becomes the perfect bridge between the passion of being a Liverpudlian and understanding the vision of an American company.

His vision for the club

It is not surprising that the connection with the fans is of prime concern to Peter Moore. He has spoken at length about how these super-clubs in Europe seem to be becoming more and more detached from the supporters. His experience in the gaming world has taught him that you need to constantly persuade the gamer to part with their money, as they have no obligation to buy. 

 In football, the clubs assume that there is a continued obligation that the fans invest in the club. However, Moore is clear that without transparency and empathy, you will never let the fans into the inner world of the club. It is this lesson that he wants to imprint throughout the Liverpool franchise. 

He is onto a winner, and he knows it. Liverpool is a unique football club that has an incredibly emotive history. The fans are filled with a passion that rightly gets called fanatical. The fans demand accountability at all levels of the club, from the players to the manager and to those in the top office. He holds this accountability close for every decision he makes for Liverpool Football Club, knowing there is a community looking on who deserves this level of care.

His recent moves

A recent decision has raised some eyebrows in the footballing world. He has sought to trademark the word “Liverpool” in the context of football products and services. There are two other clubs in the city that might have concerns about this. However, you can see how this would make a sound business decision and bring revenue to the club. It is what has helped Manchester United become one of the richest clubs in the world - it is the power of the brand. However, as Liverpool is a proud city, it was always going to be controversial and might have shown Moore’s first disconnect with his hometown.

However, in the process of this unsuccessful application, we saw the talk of the man put into practice. Throughout the process he sought consultation with multiple parties, looking to address the concerns they had. He maintained the transparency and accountability that he stated was so important to him in his leadership.

Although engaging with the fans on issues such as this is a huge job, it is essential to his success in the role. He again uses his gaming experience to connect with stakeholders using various platforms.

However, he is also happy to be unpopular if necessary. He pointed out that there are times when you have to make decisions that are right for the long-term health of the club. These, in the short-term, might be unpopular to fans and it is then Moore’s role to take the hits. He knows the passion of the fans and he realises that this will hit hard at times. However, his continued commitment to communication will carry him through these difficulties.

One cog

Peter Moore has been a part of the increased success of a club. However, he is realistically just one cog in a machine that is running smoothly right now. The sporting director Michael Edwards deserves a lot of credit at doing some astonishing business for the club. He had sold well and then bought as his head coach requested. We then should look to Klopp who has been instrumental in raising the hopes and the strong sense of belief in the Kop.

Peter Moore accepts the crucial part that Edwards and Klopp have played in the club’s success. As he noted himself, it is his role to make sure they have the resources they need to continue to be as successful as they have been in the past. He also pointed to the more than 800 people who work for the club who don’t kick a football. He, therefore, fully accepts he is part of an incredible team. And maybe, this is why he is so successful.