Ayre on Warrior and UEFA rules
Ian Ayre believes the kit deal with Warrior Sports Inc is a major boost for Liverpool as clubs around Europe adapt to new financial fair play regulations being imposed by UEFA.
The deal - announced on Liverpoolfc.tv on Thursday morning - comes into operation on June 1 and will see Warrior produce our home, away and third kits for six years.
It is the latest high-profile partnership signed under Ayre's stewardship, with the club aiming to spend within its means in accordance with UEFA rules to be implemented in 2013-14.
"At a time when financial fair play is being talked about and the ability to live by the means you create, these types of deals are essential," the club's managing director told Liverpoolfc.tv.
"We've always said we'll run the football club in a sustainable and proper way and these types of deals underpin everything that happens in terms of investment in the team.
"The more quality and high-level partners we can attract, and the more deals of this type we can do, the more we'll have to invest.
"We don't single out any individual deal as part of one particular player or transfer, but it's essential."
Despite being a recognised brand in other parts of the world, Warrior are new to football.
Ayre sees this as a positive.
He said: "They are new to football but in many ways that's part of the attraction. They've got some ideas that will shake up the world of football and the world of Liverpool. That's good - we should embrace change and opportunity. They are a very energised company.
"I spoke to them yesterday and they're very fired up and excited by this opportunity. I'm very pleased. It's a great day for the football club and a great day for our new partner too."
Ayre believes the size of the deal is testament to Liverpool's standing in world football.
"Over a 12-month period we've pretty much spoken to every major sportswear brand," he said. "We've run a very open and businesslike process and ended up with a fantastic partner.
"Over the last few years we've made a lot of headlines in terms of bringing in new partners and new deals. For that reason people have started to realise the size and the attraction of the football club, that it's real, big and sustainable.
"We provided everybody with what we felt was the opportunity to work with Liverpool Football Club. Information on the quality and size of our merchandising, information on the size and reach globally and the media audience.
"That attracted a huge amount of interest and then we had to find the right balance of getting the right partner who got what we wanted to achieve around the world and got us culturally, and also the right commercial or economical solution.
"It was the same process we went through with Standard Chartered and everyone knows what a success that has been. I don't expect anything less of Warrior. They are a very young, energetic and driven company with a lot of experience but also with a lot of new ideas."
The deal will bring an end to a successful partnership with adidas which began in 2006.
Ayre added: "It's not the end yet. We've still got the rest of this season. adidas is a great company with great people. We've had a long relationship with them. They've enjoyed some great memories with Liverpool just as we have with them. We will part as friends and work solidly through the rest of this season.
"In every process you go through, as long as you run it properly and effectively, there are winners and losers, but adidas have been a fantastic partner for Liverpool."