Following the World Cup in May, Liverpool announced its return to the US in August. This tour, featuring four Premier League/Championship clubs across six stadiums over two weeks, clearly demonstrates how modern football is positioning itself in the North American market. Each club’s motivation for participation, target markets, and expected returns differ significantly.
The US Market and Revenue Potential
Liverpool’s previous summer tour attracted over 190,000 supporters, and Fenway Sports Group’s Boston-based management underscores the strategic importance of the US market for the club. Liverpool holds primary partnership status with major American brands including Google Pixel, Peloton, UPS, and Orion Innovation.
During the 2024 tour across Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Columbia, South Carolina, combined attendance exceeded 190,000 spectators. This figure demonstrates the size of the fan base in the US market and interest in live football events. The Wrexham precedent indicates that a single match can generate approximately $20 million in local economic impact.
Tour Structure: Geographic Distribution and Marketing Strategy
Organized by TEG Sport, the tour positions four clubs across six different stadiums over 12 days. The geographic distribution reflects strategic decisions regarding regional markets, football geography, and fan bases. The selection of Nashville, New York, New Jersey, Tampa, Philadelphia, and Chicago indicates targeted approaches to these municipal markets.
July 25
Wrexham vs Leeds
Tampa, Raymond James (65,618 capacity)
July 25
Liverpool vs Sunderland
Nashville, GEODIS Park (27,500 capacity)
July 29
Liverpool vs Wrexham
New York, Yankee Stadium (47,309 capacity)
July 30
Leeds vs Sunderland
New Jersey, Sports Illustrated (25,000 capacity)
Stadium selection reflects the use of NFL and MLS facilities for football events. The positioning of Liverpool versus Wrexham at Yankee Stadium marks this as the tour’s highest-profile match. These stadiums represent multi-purpose facilities equipped to host football and other sporting events. Stadium capacities and geographic locations play roles in tour planning relative to fan base distribution and local market reach.
The configuration of venues and city selection reflects strategic decisions in turnaround logistics, fan density, and regional market penetration for each participating club.
STADIUM SELECTION CONSIDERATIONSNFL and MLS stadium usage for football matches represents an operational approach that provides requisite infrastructure and audience capacity. Yankee Stadium’s 47,309 capacity and cultural prominence position the Liverpool-Wrexham fixture as a marquee event within the tour structure.
Wrexham: Brand Building Through Digital Content
Wrexham’s popularity in the US market is directly connected to Netflix’s “Welcome to Wrexham” documentary series. The club’s ownership by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney has generated substantial visibility outside traditional football circles. Despite Championship status, Wrexham’s brand presence in the US market is comparable to upper-league clubs.
Financial metrics demonstrate the measurable impact of this popularity growth. Wrexham’s 2023-24 annual turnover of £26.7 million derives more than 50% from North America. This indicates the dominance of the American market within the club’s total revenue streams, including merchandise sales, sponsorships, and tourism-related income.
Documentary Series Effect: At the 2023 Chapel Hill match against Chelsea, Wrexham reported that approximately one-third of the 50,596 attendance wore Wrexham kits. Local tourism authorities estimated the economic contribution of this single match at $20 million to the regional economy.
Tour participation positions Wrexham, a Championship club, on an equivalent platform with Liverpool and Leeds of the Premier League. The Yankee Stadium fixture against Liverpool increases brand visibility for Wrexham in the US market and diversifies potential revenue streams. The club operates within a media-entertainment ecosystem that extends beyond traditional football operations.
Leeds United: 49ers Enterprises Investment and US Market Entry
Leeds United operates under full ownership of 49ers Enterprises, the investment group headquartered in San Francisco. The investor entity acquired a minority stake in 2018 and assumed controlling interest in 2023 following the club’s Championship demotion. This tour represents Leeds’ first official entry into the US market as part of 49ers Enterprises’ strategic positioning.
Leeds is positioned within the broader sports portfolio of Red Bull, which encompasses New York Red Bulls and related operations. Red Bull serves as Leeds’ primary shirt sponsor and major investor. The scheduling of Leeds versus Sunderland at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey reinforces this corporate connection. The club is marketed to the American audience as a component of the investor portfolio.
Manager Daniel Farke’s squad must balance pre-season preparation objectives with investor-oriented corporate visibility requirements. While advancing promotion prospects in the Championship, the club simultaneously participates in the corporate infrastructure of its US-based ownership structure.
Sunderland: Institutional Tour Participation
Sunderland holds an advantageous position at 40 points, well-positioned for Premier League retention. Tour participation forms part of a fan base development strategy in the US market. The club faces assignment to lower-capacity stadiums (27,500 capacity GEODIS Park in Nashville and 25,000 capacity Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey), which indicates the tour positioning for this club relative to its target market development.
Should Sunderland secure Premier League status, the club gains opportunity to establish an institutionalized fan base in the US market. This tour functions as the initial phase of a long-term marketing investment strategy.
Modern Football Tours: Commercial Dynamics
The structure of football tours has undergone significant transformation over the past decade. The US market has become a primary growth objective for European football operations. Premier League clubs evaluate US tour participation as providing added value relative to brand development and commercial partnerships.
Following the 2024 Manchester United-Liverpool match in Columbia, South Carolina, and the subsequent 190,000-spectator Liverpool tour, this ecosystem continues to develop. Event companies such as TEG Sport organize these matches in coordination with club stakeholders. Financial data—such as the $20 million local economic impact documented for Wrexham’s match—demonstrates the measurable value of tour participation.
Market Segmentation: Each stadium, city, and match configuration is structured to target specific geographic and demographic markets. Stadium capacities and attendee density represent significant factors in tour planning decisions.
Corporate Structure and Investor Role
US-based investors including Fenway Sports Group, 49ers Enterprises, and entertainment-focused partners play increasing roles in football club operations. This structure influences tour planning and marketing strategy implementation. Wrexham’s situation demonstrates how media investment (Netflix documentary) combines with football club ownership.
Leeds and Sunderland participation reflects investor portfolio development strategy. Entities such as Red Bull (Leeds), 49ers Enterprises (Leeds), and Fenway Sports Group (Liverpool) exercise determinative influence over club positioning in the US market. These ownership structures create direct connections between tour logistics and corporate strategy.
Revenue Models and Related Operations
Tour participation represents multiple revenue sources for participating clubs: stadium revenue, tourism economy contribution, merchandise sales, sponsorship activation, and value derived from media rights. The documented $20 million local economic impact for Wrexham demonstrates the scale of these dynamics.
Liverpool’s achievement of 190,000 spectators during the 2024 tour demonstrates market size. Tour organizers view these attendance figures as establishing a sustainable operational model, with planning underway for similar tours in subsequent years.
The tour structure indicates a maturing commercial ecosystem around pre-season international fixtures. Clubs view US market participation as integral to annual planning cycles, rather than as occasional promotional activities. Revenue optimization, schedule management, and investor coordination shape tour architecture.
Key Metrics
190K+Spectators (2024 Tour)
$20MWrexham 1 Match Economic Impact
£26.7MWrexham Annual Turnover
50%+Wrexham Revenue from North America
6 StadiumsTour Venues
Tour Schedule
JULY 25 (Saturday)
Wrexham vs Leeds, Tampa
Liverpool vs Sunderland, Nashville
JULY 29 (Wednesday)
Liverpool vs Wrexham, NY Yankee Stadium
JULY 30 (Thursday)
Leeds vs Sunderland, New Jersey
AUGUST 2 (Sunday)
Liverpool vs Leeds, Chicago
Sunderland vs Wrexham, Philadelphia