Some Liverpool fans are unhappy that the club could be looking to allow American Football at Anfield once the new stand in place.
The Red have already announced plans of a £60m expansion of the Anfield Road stand in a restructuring that could increase the capacity of the stadium to up to 61,000.
They have also stated that the plans are at a draft stage and have not provided too much details into the decision. But the redevelopment will make the Kop End as the smallest stand at Anfield.
But the club has also announced that the stadium could also host Gaelic Sports and American Sports outside of the football season. Some Liverpool fans haven’t taken well to this news as it could harm the pitch, while others feel that it is a risk.
Dont care about American football
I don’t want Anfield pitch looking like this pic.twitter.com/xWsJsK3hjM— Ameen (@Ameen_LFC) November 29, 2019
This will damage the pitch
— Arunava Acharya (@Aaruism) November 29, 2019
No. Don’t ruin the stadium. That’s what Wembley is for to hold NFL games. But it’s all about revenues.
— Patrick (@B2Life33) November 29, 2019
RIP pitch
— LimpingMonkey (@monkey_limping) November 29, 2019
Should not be allowed at Anfield
— A:gyaani ?? (@sukalyanfouzdar) November 29, 2019
So much for Anfield’s sacred turf.
I don’t think the families of the fan’s who’ve had their ashes sprinkled on the pitch will be too happy with this. I wouldn’t be.
— Simon Wilkinson (@SimonWi68021840) November 29, 2019
Give city the title NOW
— CJ (@connor_12002) November 29, 2019
Should Liverpool allow NFL games at Anfield?
Never!
Like Liverpool can, Spurs did allow NFL games to go on when they were playing their home games at Wembley before the new stadium was fully constructed. Not just that, but the new Tottenham stadium in North London also hosts NFL matches that are scheduled to take place in London.
While the Wembley did take damage because of the NFL games – as it did before Spurs’ 1-0 loss to Manchester City last season, their new stadium has a separate pitch for the American sport.
One of the NFL games at their new home had seen Oakland Raiders play Chicago Bears on the 6th of October earlier this year. The Raiders had edged past the Bears in what was described as a ‘chaotic’ game by the Telegraph.
What do we think?
It is fair to say that there’s always risk involved in such a situation. Wembley didn’t have two separate pitches for the NFL games and that is why the football pitch was in a poor condition for the Tottenham games. If Liverpool do actually plan on hosting NFL games, they would need another pitch apart from the football pitch.
They can take a leaf out of Tottenham’s book and expand their brand in the United States through this act.