PR Lessons from Liverpool's Premier League title season

When Jurgen Klopp announced that he was leaving Liverpool last season, it sent shockwaves through Merseyside.

In a well-choregraphed interview with the club, he explained that he had reached the end of his tenure and would be departing at the end of the campaign, with Liverpool still at that time in the hunt for the league title.

What has followed this season has underlined the reputation that Liverpool want to nurture, one of class and respect for the past, present and future.

Here are some lessons that sports organisations can learn from to help promote their values and engage their fans and stakeholders.

1. Seamless Leadership Transition

Replacing a beloved figure like Jürgen Klopp posed a significant challenge but the Anfield club managed the transition smoothly by announcing Slot's appointment well in advance.

Klopp then showed his humility by singing the name of his successor on the pitch at the end of the season, something Slot then emulated when the title was secured in April 2025.

2. Emphasise Continuity

Slot retained the core of Klopp's squad, emphasising evolution over revolution. It meant that the club's identity was preserved and their competitiveness was maintained while rivals floundered.

Speculation over the futures of key players were brushed aside whenever they were raised by the media.

That was underlined by the retention of striker Mo Salah and defender Virgil van Dijk, cornerstones of the club’s success in recent years, giving the club and its fans a boost as the season reached a conclusion.

3. Invoke Loyalty

As well as relying on the majority of the team that Klopp built, Slot also backed homegrown star Trent Alexander-Arnold when reports emerged that he may join Real Madrid.

Slot could have been cagey in the face of fan anger that one of their own may have had his head turned by the Spanish giants, but he chose to praise the defender’s attitude and professionalism rather than fuel the frustrations that he may have been tempted to engage.

4. Calm Inspiration

With draws against city rivals Everton and Aston Villa, the media tried to ramp up the pressure that, like the season before, the team were faltering at the final hurdle.

Slot could have created a siege mentality to invoke a fighting spirit, but chose a calmer approach.

In his programme notes ahead of the Newcastle game, he sought to inspire the faithful and said: “We do not just want you to dream, we need you to dream. This is a big part of what makes this club so special because it challenges the players and the staff to do everything that we possibly can to be the best that we can be.

“But it is important that you know that for us to stand any chance of living up to those hopes it takes an incredible amount of hard work every single day. There can be no let-up.”

The team eased across the line – with little to no hint of stress or strain.

5. Celebrating with the fans

Liverpool's 20th league title, equalling Manchester United's record, was a significant milestone that led to inevitable celebrations at Anfield.

Salah has a habit of taking selfies and did so again after scoring the fourth goal of the title-clinching 5-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

He grabbed a phone and took a photo celebrating with fans, capturing a moment that will live with those pictured forever.

Cynics suggested that it was a stunt using a club sponsor’s phone but given Salah’s history of doing selfies, that seems unlikely – and as The Athletic reported, he hadn’t broken any regulations anyway. Other players also took selfies later on which were shared on socials, using different phone brands.

Liverpool’s title win deservedly won plenty of plaudits but it’s clear that they got a lot right off the pitch as well as on it.
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