Friday, 2nd February 2007 at 7:22 am

Flavour of the month

Has Malcolm Glazer triggered American sports’ latest craze? When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner bought out Manchester United (a move not universally welcomed by United fans at the time; six points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premiership going into this weekend, the anti-Glazer brigade has gone very quiet), he obviously triggered quite an interest in English football.

Since then, gridiron outfit Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner has acquired Aston Villa, a slightly less glamorous purchase, perhaps, but one that suggests the British game as a whole has definite commercial appeal to American sports owners. And that has been echoed by Friday morning’s news that Liverpool could be next: Tom Hicks (pictured, owner of baseball outfit Texas Rangers, and hockey side Dallas Stars) has teamed up with Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett Jnr, and a 450-million pound bid is expected on Monday.

Two franchise owners clubbing together to buy a big-name English team has apparently generated plenty of attention in America; throw in last month’s announcement that Brand Beckham is re-locating to LA, and English football is certainly making waves across the Atlantic. The big four of baseball, basketball, American football and ice hockey don’t look under immediate threat, but on the current evidence, expect soccer to start catching a few more eyes in the States - and for more Premiership chairmen to emerge with broad smiles after quiet lunches with men in ten gallon hats.