Liverpool CEO Ian Ayre "is to step down from the end of next season," according to Chris Bascombe of the London TELEGRAPH. Ayre's contract expires in May '17 and "he has decided he will not seek a renewal."
He "informed stunned staff of his decision" on Monday having made the decision and informed owner Fenway Sports Group over Christmas.
FSG said that it tried to convince Ayre to stay "but he is adamant it is time to 'pass on the baton.'"
Ayre said,
"If becoming chief executive of Liverpool was the greatest honor of my professional life, then deciding to step down at the end of my current contract is by far the most difficult." Ayre "took over the day-to-day running at Anfield following the FSG takeover" in '10 when he was promoted to managing director and then CEO. He "was previously the commercial director."
During his time "he stood firm against" ex-Owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. to help oust them. Most recently he "was key to the negotiations" to secure Jürgen Klopp as manager (TELEGRAPH, 3/14). In London, Jamie Jackson wrote Ayre "decided to end the role due to the time and commitment required." FSG said, "Ian advised us of his intention to step down as CEO a few months ago. We asked him on several occasions to take some time to reconsider his decision, but have been unable to convince him to remain as CEO beyond May of 2017" (GUARDIAN, 3/14). Also in London, Ian Herbert wrote it was Ayre’s "strong contribution" to the commercial development of Liverpool -- "securing a far more lucrative shirt sponsorship, with Standard Chartered, than the club had previously had with Carlsberg -- which saw him installed as chief executive by the Americans in 2011." He "was not their immediate choice." FSG "had launched a lengthy pursuit of a CEO before deciding to promote him from the position of managing director." Ayre "subsequently worked with FSG on securing further sponsorship deals and supervised Anfield’s stadium expansion plans."
Ayre was criticized when FSG’s new ticketing regime, which included a £70 ($100) ticket, "prompted a mass walkout during the league game against Sunderland last month." But despite this announcement coming so soon after a U-turn on prices, the owners "insisted it was Ayre’s own decision to leave" (INDEPENDENT, 3/14).
