Rick Parry
Encyclopedia
Rick Parry is the former chief executive of Liverpool Football Club, and the former head of the FA Premier League
. He is currently on the board of directors at New York Cosmos (2010)
.
Grammar School and the University of Liverpool
. Upon obtaining his degree, in Maths as a trainee Chartered Accountant
in 1976, qualifying three years later. Having spent a number of years in the leisure industry in financial controller positions, he rejoined his former firm (by then known as Arthur Young
) in 1983 as a management consultant.
An unashamed Liverpool fan, Parry was recruited from his position as a senior management consultant with leading UK firm Ernst & Young
in 1991 to assist in planning the new Premier League. Appointed Chief Executive in February 1992, the competition was officially ratified just seven days later by The Football Association
, allowing Parry to proceed with negotiations for a television deal which was eventually awarded to BSkyB and the BBC
for a then record bid of £214 million over five years.
As Chief Executive, Parry oversaw the development of The Premier League into one of the top professional football competitions in the world, with major investment in new stadia, increased attendances and an influx of major international stars. During his last twelve months at Lancaster Gate
he brokered the biggest ever television deal in the history of UK sport, with BSkyB and the BBC offering a package in excess of £700m for Premier League broadcasting rights.
Parry's experience is not confined solely to football, having prepared Manchester
's bid for the 1992 Olympic Games
in 1985 and later advised the Birmingham
Olympic Games Council on financial matters. In the following year, he spent six months on a major assignment for The Football League
before assuming the role of Chief Executive to the Manchester Phoenix Initiative, a major urban regeneration project which culminated in the establishment of the Central Manchester Development Corporation
.
When Manchester secured the British nomination to bid for the 1996 Olympic Games, Parry was seconded to the bid committee for two and a half years as full-time Director supervising, amongst other responsibilities, the planning of a £750 million Olympic Centre.
Parry was appointed as chief executive at Liverpool in July 1998, by then chairman David Moores
. He signed a six year deal reported to be worth over £500,000 per year.
On 18 June 2007, Parry was called to give evidence to the arbitration panel investigating the validity of an earlier tribunal decision regarding West Ham United
's signing of Argentinian Internationals Carlos Tévez
and Javier Mascherano. As Chief Executive of the Premier League, he was involved in the establishment of the Premier League rules and as Chief Executive of Liverpool is believed to have voiced concerns over the registration in January when attempting to sign Mascherano on a loan deal.
In the fallout of the Liverpool FC takeover by the American consortium run by Hicks and Gillett, Parry's role as CEO was questioned by some sections of Liverpool support who considered that the club was not aggressive enough in the transfer market nor transparent enough in its support of the manager Rafa Benitez (even though Parry played a pivotal role employing Benitez as Liverpool manager). As fans' high expectations for success continued to fail to be realised, his role at the club came under close scrutiny.
On 25 February 2009 it was announced that he would be leaving Liverpool Football Club at the end of the 2008-9 season. He received a £4.295 million pay-off when he left, a sum apparently negotiated with previous chairman David Moores around the time then-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett entered the bidding to buy Liverpool back in 2007.
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
. He is currently on the board of directors at New York Cosmos (2010)
New York Cosmos (2010)
The New York Cosmos are an American soccer club based in New York City. The team was formed in August 2010 by a consortium led by English businessman Paul Kemsley, and aspires to become a franchise of Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
.
Career
Rick Parry was educated at Ellesmere PortEllesmere Port
Ellesmere Port is a large industrial town and port in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is situated on the south border of the Wirral Peninsula on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal, which in turn gives access to the River...
Grammar School and the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
. Upon obtaining his degree, in Maths as a trainee Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
in 1976, qualifying three years later. Having spent a number of years in the leisure industry in financial controller positions, he rejoined his former firm (by then known as Arthur Young
Arthur Young
Arthur Young was an English writer on agriculture, economics and social statistics.- Birth and early life :...
) in 1983 as a management consultant.
An unashamed Liverpool fan, Parry was recruited from his position as a senior management consultant with leading UK firm Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms, along with Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers ....
in 1991 to assist in planning the new Premier League. Appointed Chief Executive in February 1992, the competition was officially ratified just seven days later by The Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
, allowing Parry to proceed with negotiations for a television deal which was eventually awarded to BSkyB and the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
for a then record bid of £214 million over five years.
As Chief Executive, Parry oversaw the development of The Premier League into one of the top professional football competitions in the world, with major investment in new stadia, increased attendances and an influx of major international stars. During his last twelve months at Lancaster Gate
Lancaster Gate
Lancaster Gate is a mid-19th century development in the Bayswater district of west central London, immediately to the north of Kensington Gardens. It consists of two long terraces of houses overlooking the park, with a wide gap between them opening onto a square containing a church. Further...
he brokered the biggest ever television deal in the history of UK sport, with BSkyB and the BBC offering a package in excess of £700m for Premier League broadcasting rights.
Parry's experience is not confined solely to football, having prepared Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
's bid for the 1992 Olympic Games
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in 1985 and later advised the Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
Olympic Games Council on financial matters. In the following year, he spent six months on a major assignment for The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
before assuming the role of Chief Executive to the Manchester Phoenix Initiative, a major urban regeneration project which culminated in the establishment of the Central Manchester Development Corporation
Central Manchester Development Corporation
The Central Manchester Development Corporation was established in 1988 to develop parts of eastern Manchester. Its flagship developments included the Bridgewater Hall concert auditorium. During its lifetime 1.5 m sq.ft. of non-housing development and 2,583 housing units were built. Around 4,944...
.
When Manchester secured the British nomination to bid for the 1996 Olympic Games, Parry was seconded to the bid committee for two and a half years as full-time Director supervising, amongst other responsibilities, the planning of a £750 million Olympic Centre.
Parry was appointed as chief executive at Liverpool in July 1998, by then chairman David Moores
David Moores
David R Moores is the former chairman and now honorary life president of Liverpool F.C..-Liverpool FC:He became Chairman on 18 September 1991. He owned 17,850 shares in Liverpool F.C. which represented 51% of the club. His uncle, Sir John Moores, was chairman of Everton, never Liverpool FC,...
. He signed a six year deal reported to be worth over £500,000 per year.
On 18 June 2007, Parry was called to give evidence to the arbitration panel investigating the validity of an earlier tribunal decision regarding West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
's signing of Argentinian Internationals Carlos Tévez
Carlos Tévez
Carlos Alberto Tévez is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for English club Manchester City...
and Javier Mascherano. As Chief Executive of the Premier League, he was involved in the establishment of the Premier League rules and as Chief Executive of Liverpool is believed to have voiced concerns over the registration in January when attempting to sign Mascherano on a loan deal.
In the fallout of the Liverpool FC takeover by the American consortium run by Hicks and Gillett, Parry's role as CEO was questioned by some sections of Liverpool support who considered that the club was not aggressive enough in the transfer market nor transparent enough in its support of the manager Rafa Benitez (even though Parry played a pivotal role employing Benitez as Liverpool manager). As fans' high expectations for success continued to fail to be realised, his role at the club came under close scrutiny.
On 25 February 2009 it was announced that he would be leaving Liverpool Football Club at the end of the 2008-9 season. He received a £4.295 million pay-off when he left, a sum apparently negotiated with previous chairman David Moores around the time then-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett entered the bidding to buy Liverpool back in 2007.