EXCLUSIVE – Kenny Huang’s business partner: ‘No decision on Liverpool proposal’

By Nick Harris

10 August 2010

Kenny Huang, the Chinese businessman linked to a potential Liverpool takeover, has yet to decide whether to send the club a proposal, let alone a bid for the club, one of his American business partners has told sportingintelligence.

Marc Ganis, of the Chicago-based Sportscorp Ltd, contacted this website last night about a story involving Huang published yesterday (more of which in a moment), and in an extensive email exchange, said that “no proposal has been made and no decision to offer a proposal has been made.”

This will come as a shock to many Liverpool fans, who rightly or wrongly believe that Kenny Huang, backed by the sovereign resources of China, is a frontrunner to take control at Anfield.

During the email conversation with Mr Ganis late last night and in the early hours of this morning, sportingintelligence told Mr Ganis that his clarification of the situation was exactly the kind of information fans are seeking from him and Huang, if only to set the record straight on what they are proposing, or not.

Sportingintelligence requested permission to reproduce a key email from this exchange, verbatim, so here it is, solely and wholly in the words of Marc Ganis:

Email from Marc Ganis to Nick Harris of Sportingintelligence, received 1.24am UK time

“I have tried to not only be honest, but set the record straight.

“Among the most important points I have tried to get out, either directly or through Kenny’s releases, is that no proposal [in relation to a Liverpool bid] has been made and no decision to offer a proposal has been made.

“There were many reports about CIC, yet at no time to [any] party, whether [to] the media, Sir Martin [Broughton] or Barcap, have we ever identified that CIC was an investor.

“We have not identified any investors and I offered only one point about CIC in the AP story, and at that I made it clear they were not committed in any way.

“I made it clear there were no deadlines, meetings or discussions with players, their reps or managers, nor issue[s] with regard to the date the transfer window would close. And I clarified many other points. I also made it clear that the PR firm that purported to represent us has and had no role with us.

“But for whatever reason our efforts to offer accurate information often falls on deaf ears.

“Kenny made it clear in a press release on April 12, 2010 that he had no interest in the Cavaliers. Yet the media continued to write he did. [Extract from aforementioned press release: ‘QSL Sports also confirmed that its two co‐founders and co‐chairmen Huang and Cheng do not hold any stake personally in Cleveland Cavaliers of NBA in the US.’]

“It’s hard to say why this all has been the case, but the facts are the facts.

“Reporters want Kenny to demonstrate all aspects of a bid – yet no bid has been presented and no decision to submit one has been made. If and when that time comes, the financial support will be presented to Barcap and the board.

“It is entirely inappropriate to do so to the media, despite requests and demands that it be done. That is simply not the way sports deals are done – and on this I have a fair amount of experience.

“If a proposal is submitted [and] if it is lacking in financial wherewithal that will be demonstrated by its rejection or its inability to close.

“For some reason, some in the media are insistent on tasting the cake before it is fully baked, when the very process of opening the oven and taking a taste in itself will adversely impact its baking.

“I know this is a difficult concept to recognize but it is the case in such deals.

“In any event, good luck with your columns.

“All the best

“Marc.”

Mr Ganis gave his permission, unconditionally, for this email to be published.

[Other material from an earlier version of this story is now being held for use in future stories as and when developments unfold, and so that Mr Ganis’s statement, at his own request, can be the sole focus of this story]