Tom Werner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tom Werner
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Werner in 2007
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| Chairman of the Boston Red Sox | |
| Assumed office February 2002 |
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| Chairman of Liverpool F.C. | |
| Assumed office December 1, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Martin Broughton |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Thomas Charles Werner
April 12, 1950 New York City, New York, U.S. |
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| Children | 3 |
| Residences | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Education | St. Bernard's School Hotchkiss School |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (BA) |
| Occupation | Television producer, businessman |
Thomas Charles Werner, born on April 12, 1950, is an American TV producer and businessman. He is a key figure in the world of sports. Through his company, Fenway Sports Group, he is the chairman of two major sports teams: Liverpool F.C. (a soccer team) and the Boston Red Sox (a baseball team).
Werner first became a part-owner of the San Diego Padres baseball team in 1990. Later, he joined a group that bought the Boston Red Sox. He has been the chairman of the Red Sox since February 2002. Since then, the Red Sox have won four World Series titles. Their 2004 win ended an 86-year wait for a championship! The team has also reached the playoffs ten times. In 2018, the Red Sox won a team-record 108 games and their ninth World Series title.
Werner also became chairman of Liverpool F.C. in 2010. During his time, Liverpool has won nine major trophies. These include the EFL Cup in 2012, 2022, and 2024, the UEFA Champions League in 2019, and the Premier League in 2020. They also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019, and the FA Cup and FA Community Shield in 2022.
As a TV producer, Werner teamed up with Marcy Carsey to create The Carsey-Werner Company. This company produced many popular shows. Some of these include The Cosby Show, Roseanne, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and That '70s Show.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Thomas Werner was born in New York City, New York. He grew up with his sister, Patsy, and his brother, Peter. He went to St. Bernard's School in Manhattan. He also attended Hotchkiss School in Connecticut. Werner then went on to graduate from Harvard University in 1971.
Television Career
Werner started his career in television in 1973 at ABC-TV. He quickly moved up, becoming the Director of East Coast Prime Time Development in 1975. By 1979, he was the senior vice president of prime-time development. At ABC, Werner helped create shows like Mork & Mindy, Bosom Buddies, Soap, and Taxi.
In 1980, Werner left ABC and co-founded The Carsey-Werner Company with Marcy Carsey. As an executive producer, he helped create many successful TV shows. These include The Cosby Show, A Different World, Roseanne, 3rd Rock from the Sun, That '70s Show, and Grounded for Life. In 1996, Werner was honored for his work and joined the Television Hall of Fame.
In 2000, Werner, Carsey, and their partner Caryn Mandabach joined Oprah Winfrey. They started Oxygen, a 24-hour cable channel. It focused on lifestyle and entertainment for young women. In 2007, NBC Universal bought the network. Later, in 2017, it changed to focus on true-crime shows for women.
In 2018, Werner was an executive producer for the return of Roseanne. After that show was cancelled, he also produced its spin-off, The Conners. In 2019, Werner and Sara Gilbert started a new company called Sara+Tom. This combined their TV production efforts after the success of The Conners.
Sports Ownership
San Diego Padres Baseball Team
Werner first became involved in sports team ownership in 1990. He and 14 other investors bought the San Diego Padres baseball team. He was the main managing partner because he had the largest share. This was a challenging time for Major League Baseball. There were big differences in money between small and large teams. A player strike even cancelled the 1994 World Series. Werner was part of MLB's Executive Council. He also led the committee that negotiated TV deals. He was an early supporter of the "wild-card" format, which started in 1995. This allowed more teams to reach the playoffs.
In 1990, Werner tried to promote the Padres with one of his TV shows. He invited Roseanne Barr, the star of Roseanne, to sing the national anthem. She sang it in a funny, loud way. This event caused a lot of discussion among baseball fans and writers.
The Padres had a good season in 1989, just before Werner took over. But after two more winning seasons in 1991 and 1992, the team struggled. In 1993, they finished last in their division. Critics at the time said this was because Werner and his partners cut costs. Many key players were traded or left the team.
Werner's time as the main owner ended in 1994. John Moores bought 80% of the team. Werner kept a smaller share until 2007.
Boston Red Sox and Fenway Sports Group
Werner returned to baseball in 2001. He joined a group that included Larry Lucchino and John W. Henry. They successfully bought the Boston Red Sox. Their offer was accepted in December 2001, and the deal was approved in February 2002. Henry became the main owner, Werner was named chairman, and Lucchino became president. This team worked together to bring great success to the Red Sox.
The new owners were the only ones who wanted to save Fenway Park, the team's historic home. They made many improvements to the ballpark. Over the first 17 years, they spent more than $400 million on upgrades. This showed their commitment to keeping the team in Fenway Park.
After the 2002 season, the new owners hired 28-year-old Theo Epstein as general manager. He was the youngest GM in baseball history. In 2003, the Red Sox lost a close playoff series. But in 2004, under new manager Terry Francona, they made history. They came back from being down three games to none against the New York Yankees. They then won the World Series, their first since 1918. More World Series titles followed in 2007, 2013, and 2018.
Liverpool Football Club
In 2010, the ownership group of Henry, Lucchino, and Werner bought the Premier League soccer team Liverpool. They bought it from the bank that was helping the previous owners. On November 25, 2010, Liverpool announced that Werner would become chairman, starting December 1, 2010.
In May 2012, Werner made a tough decision. He let go of coach Kenny Dalglish, who was a club legend. This was because the team's league results were not good enough. Some experts thought this was a poor choice. Dalglish had helped the team win a League Cup and reach an FA Cup final. Brendan Rodgers became the new coach. He helped Liverpool finish second in the 2013–14 Premier League. This earned them a spot in the UEFA Champions League after five years. Rodgers was later let go after failing to qualify for the Champions League again.
German coach Jürgen Klopp took over next. In his first year, Klopp led the team to two finals: the Football League Cup Final and the UEFA Europa League final in the 2015–16 season. In 2018, Liverpool reached the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final. In the 2018–19 season, Liverpool finished second in the Premier League. They then won the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final, their sixth title in that competition. This was also the first trophy under Klopp's leadership. After this win, Klopp signed a contract to stay until 2024. In June 2020, Liverpool won the Premier League. This was their first Premier League title ever, and their first top league title since 1990.
Community and Giving Back
Werner is the founding chairman of the Red Sox Foundation. This is the charity part of the Boston Red Sox team. Since it started in 2002, the Red Sox Foundation has given money to over 1,780 organizations. It has also helped 288 Boston public school students with college scholarships through the Red Sox Scholars program. The foundation supports many youth baseball programs in New England.
In 2008, Werner helped create the Home Base Program. This is a partnership between the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital. It helps veterans and their families deal with challenges like PTSD and brain injuries.
In November 2011, the Red Sox Foundation received a special award. It was Major League Baseball's first "Commissioner's Award for Philanthropic Excellence." This was for their "Red Sox Scholars" program.
In January 2013, Werner received the Dave Winfield Humanitarian Award. This award recognized his work for others. On October 30, 2014, the United States Army gave Werner the "Outstanding Civilian Service Award." This was for creating the Home Base Program.
Personal Life
Thomas Werner lives in Los Angeles. He has three children from his first marriage. In January 2022, he got engaged to Dr. Jennifer Ashton, an ABC News correspondent. They were married on November 5, 2022, in New York City. Jennifer also has two children.
