Liverpool Launches Bid for Commonwealth Games

(ATR) Former English FA chief executive Brian Barwick will chair the city’s bid for the 2022 or 2026 Games.

Liverpool is the first U.K. city to formally declare its interest in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, bidding to replace Durban which dropped out last month due to a lack of government financial guarantees.

Birmingham, Manchester and London have also expressed interest in pitching for the 2022 Games.

Any U.K. bid would need to be underwritten by the British government.

While there is no timetable on a decision, Prime Minister Theresa May could be asked to support a U.K. candidate city by April 28, the Commonwealth Games Federation deadline for formal submissions to stage the 2022 Games.

If the government refuses to get behind a 2022 bid, Liverpool will pursue its quest to land the 2026 edition. This was the original plan before Durban was stripped of hosting rights for the Games after the Gold Coast next year.

Liverpool’s intent to stage the multi-sport event is shown in the organization of its bid team.

Barwick, who threw his support behind England’s 2018 World Cup campaign when at the FA in 2007, has strong credentials to lead the bid dubbed Team Liverpool.

The former head of BBC Sport and controller of ITV Sport is chair of the Rugby Football League, Super League Europe, the National League and a member of the FA Council. He will work closely with Denise Barrett-Baxendale, a director at Premier League club Everton FC, who is named deputy chair of Liverpool’s bid.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson is also part of Team Liverpool. It is billed as a group of world-leading experts with a track record in successfully bidding for major sporting events, including the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and FIFA World Cup.

"I am delighted to be involved in this project and clear that Liverpool, with such an illustrious sports history, will make the perfect host city for the Commonwealth Games," said Barwick, a native of the city.

Professor Barrett-Baxendale said Liverpool had proven itself time and again as a natural home for world-class events: "I am incredibly proud to be part of Team Liverpool, working on a Commonwealth Games bid that will engage and excite the community in sporting activity."

Mayor Andersen said Barwick’s appointment, alongside high-profile advisors "sends out a powerful message that we are deadly serious about bidding for the Games".

"I firmly believe we have the passion, belief and the ability to win and deliver a Commonwealth Games that can make the whole country and the Commonwealth proud," he said.

Liverpool’s bid team includes strategic advisors and project managers 4 global Consulting and technical feasibility experts Wilson Owens Owens, who led design of the London 2012 Olympics from bid masterplan through to the closing ceremony. Also on board are financial analysts Deloitte LLP and Vero Communications, the PR company run by Mike Lee who were part of successful bids for London 2012 and Rio 2016 as well as the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

The bid plans to spend the next three to six months putting together "the strongest possible case for Liverpool to be the host city". Possible venues for sports events include ACC Liverpool and the proposed new Everton FC stadium at Bramley Moore.

Around $625,000 has been set aside as Liverpool’s bid budget.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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