EPL club Liverpool has "appointed" Electronic Arts Chief Competition Officer PETER MOORE its new CEO, according to Glenn Price of ESPNFC.com. Current Liverpool CEO IAN AYRE will be "departing his role at the end of February" as he takes up a position at German club TSV 1860 Munich. Moore, who has held positions at Microsoft, SEGA and Reebok, will "join the club in the summer" (ESPNFC.com, 2/27). In Liverpool, Andy Kelly notes Moore will "report directly" to Fenway Sports Group, which owns the club. The appointment "completes a transition plan" by FSG, which included appointing MICHAEL EDWARDS as Sporting Dir and promoting BILLY HOGAN to Managing Dir & Chief Commercial Officer. ANDY HUGHES, who was previously CFO, was made COO (LIVERPOOL ECHO, 2/28). VENTURE BEAT's Jeff Grubb noted the move will mark the end of Moore's 10-year run at EA, where he most recently "oversaw the start of the company’s esports efforts." For Moore, this move "smacks of destiny," as he was "born in Liverpool" (VENTUREBEAT.com, 2/27). THE VERGE's Jacob Kastrenakes noted Moore also has "long been a huge and outspoken fan" of the EPL club (THEVERGE.com, 2/27). Moore, while still EA Sports President, cracked SBJ/SBD's list of the most influential people in sports business in '08 and '07 (THE DAILY).
MOORE THAN A FEELING: UEFA Social Media Marketing Consultant Dave Phillips in a string of tweets wrote about why Moore is an "excellent hire" for the club. This includes Moore being "big picture (something #lfc have long lacked)," and the fact that he has "built territory business from the ground up and delivered significant commercial growth." He is "imaginative, innovative, and not afraid to take risks." At EA, he has "always been accessible on Twitter, and clearly listens to feedback." He also "understands the changing relationship between fans/clubs -- & some changes in gaming are similar to changes in sport" (TWITTER.com, 2/28).
