{{short description|Australian businessman (born 1973)}} {{distinguish|Warren Livingston}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox person | name = Warren Livingstone | honorific_suffix = | image = <!-- just the name, without the File: or Image: prefix or enclosing brackets --> | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Warren Livingstone | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1973}} | birth_place = Sydney, Australia | education = | alma_mater = | known_for = {{nowrap|Founder of Fanatics}} | occupation = | years_active = | organization = | boards = Fanatics<br/>Balmain Rugby Club<br/>Sydney Stars | spouse = | partner = }} '''Warren Livingstone''' (born September 1973 in Sydney) is an Australian businessman, sports administrator and publican. He is the founder and managing director of the Australian sports organisation Fanatics, the former president of Balmain Rugby Club and Sydney Hotel owner.<ref name = afr-2022/>
Livingstone played NSW Schoolboys Rugby League and Cricket and attended Sydney Technical High School in Bexley. He started out as a copy boy for Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper, whilst at Sydney University studying Politics.<ref name = fox-2014/>
He was a pioneer in the early dot-com boom in Australia before moving to San Francisco in 2000 as founder and CEO of writtenbyme.com a Sydney-based dot-com which was funded by a large group of investors including Kevin Weldon and Michael Ball before exiting with a sale to US publisher Simon & Schuster
A successful businessman and social scene regular he often featured in Cleo magazine's 50 Most Eligible Bachelors in the late 1990s.
In 2004 he re-established the Balmain Rugby Club (first formed in 1873 but folded in 1919) and bankrolled the club with a roster of high-profile players including Wallabies Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Ryan Cross, Matt Dunning and French star Sebastian Chabal.<ref name = dt-2013/> Livingstone formed a joint venture between Balmain and the Sydney University club in 2014 to enter the Sydney Stars team in Australia's inaugural National Rugby Championship.<ref name = dt-2014/><ref name=roar-nrc-pt2-2014/>
'''Fanatics'''
thumb|left|alt=Fanatics|Fanatics in full force at the Davis Cup in Barcelona, December 2000
In 1997 he founded the Fanatics to cater for sports fans that follow Australian teams and athletes around the world.<ref name = fox-2014/>
The first sports travel business of its kind, the Fanatics gained notoriety for organizing thousands of fans to attend Australian sporting events around the world. The Fanatics became the official supporter group for Australia men's cricket team, Australia national football team, Australia national rugby union team, and the Australia Davis Cup team<ref name = age-2005/>
Such was the influence of the Fanatics that players demanded they be supported by sports administrators and sometimes withdrew from events in a show of solidarity when they were not taken care of. Lleyton Hewitt was said to have pulled out of the Davis Cup over the treatment of his unofficial supporters at the Australian Open<ref name = will-2006/>
Fanatics opened offices in Sydney in 1997 and London in 2002 where they sold sports apparel and ran tours to sporting events and the large European cultural events such as Oktoberfest Running of the bulls, La Tomatina and Croatia sailing trips. The London office was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of 2024, the Fanatics has over 380,000 members and has organised travel for more than 300,000 fans to sporting events including cricket, football, rugby league and rugby union matches, and also major tennis tournaments and cultural European festivals.<ref name = fanatics-2014/>
'''Hotels'''
In 2014 Livingstone purchased the Charing Cross Hotel in Waverley and renovated it as a gastro pub with a 2 hatted chef; Matt Kemp.<ref name = broasheet-2014/> In 2018 he purchased Hotel William on William St, Darlinghurst and reopened it as Hyde Park House after a $5 million overhaul.<ref name = goodfood-2018/> In 2020 he purchased the Captain Cook Hotel in Botany for $17 million <ref>{{Cite news |last=Samantha |date=2020-02-26 |title=Fanatics group founder buys Captain Cook Hotel |url=https://www.thehotelconversation.com.au/news/2020/02/26/fanatics-group-founder-buys-captain-cook-hotel/1582661394 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20220528225544/https://www.thehotelconversation.com.au/news/2020/02/26/fanatics-group-founder-buys-captain-cook-hotel/1582661394 |archive-date=2022-05-28 |access-date=2026-03-28 |work=The Hotel Conversation |language=en}}</ref> . In 2022 he purchased the Rose and Crown in Parramatta for $42 million <ref>{{Cite web |last=SchlesingerReporter |first=Larry |date=2022-03-15 |title=Sydney’s Crown Hotel in Surry Hills hits the market |url=https://www.afr.com/property/commercial/sydney-s-crown-hotel-in-surry-hills-hits-the-market-20220315-p5a4qd |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}}</ref> and in 2023 he purchased the Australian Hotel in McGraths Hill for $12 million <ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/news/fanatics-founder-livingstone-adds-australian-hotel-to-pub-empire-1160486/}}</ref>
'''Court Case'''
In 2022 Livingstone's company FanFirm (Fanatics) sued the American mega sports merchandise company Fanatics LLC in the Federal Court of Australia for trademark infringement <ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/australian-sports-travel-firm-the-fanatics-in-legal-fight-with-us-giant-fanatics/news-story/8c82026a2159aa64f8acd71b216ba025}}</ref>. The long and very public trademark battle ended in victory to Livingstone's Australian company FanFirm <ref>{{Cite news |title=Aussie Fanatics founder hails victory over US giant |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-affairs/they-have-to-eat-humble-pie-aussie-fanatics-founder-hails-victory-over-us-retail-giant/news-story/5f7f67b4430cea50bff335cdddaa8f8b |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240722163154/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-affairs/they-have-to-eat-humble-pie-aussie-fanatics-founder-hails-victory-over-us-retail-giant/news-story/5f7f67b4430cea50bff335cdddaa8f8b |archive-date=2024-07-22 |access-date=2026-03-28 |work=theaustralian |language=en-GB}}</ref> The US company appealed the loss to the High Court of Australia <ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-affairs/fanatics-llc-takes-50bn-trademark-fight-to-high-court-after-aussie-losses/news-story/61944ef59ea9f59be2e588f6fa9fb77a}}</ref> but lost that appeal again in a monumental David v Goliath victory for the Australians. <ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.hcourt.gov.au/cases-and-judgments/judgments/special-leave-dispositions/fanatics-llc-v-fanfirm-pty-limited}}</ref> As a result all Fanatics LLC branded sports apparel is banned from sale in Australia including NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Fanatics Branded NFL, NBA, MLB & NHL Apparel Sales Banned in Australia |url=https://aap.com.au/aapreleases/cision20250812ae49312/ |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=AAP |language=en-AU}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=25em|refs=
<ref name = fox-2014>{{cite web |date= 15 June 2014 |first= Phil |last= Rothfield |title= What's the Buzz: Brazil the latest stop for an Aussie sport juggernaut |work= The Daily Telegraph |accessdate= 6 August 2014 |url= http://www.foxsports.com.au//nrl/whats-the-buzz-brazil-the-latest-stop-for-an-aussie-sport-juggernaut/story-e6frf3ou-1226954395418}} </ref>
<ref name = goodfood-2018>{{cite web |date= 11 June 2018 |first= Scott |last= Bolles |title= Hyde Park House opens on William Street after $5 million makeover |work= Sydney Morning Herald |publisher= News |accessdate= 7 March 2022 |url= https://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/just-open/hyde-park-house-opens-in-william-street-after-5-million-makeover-20180608-h1155a}} </ref>
<ref name = fanatics-2014>{{cite web |year= 2014 |title= About |website= Fanatics |access-date= 6 August 2014 |url= http://www.thefanatics.com/about |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140703144536/http://www.thefanatics.com/about |archive-date=3 July 2014 }} </ref>
<ref name = dt-2013>{{cite web |date= 30 September 2013 |first= Iain |last= Payten |title= Balmain positioning themselves for opportunity at proposed third tier of Australian rugby |work= The Daily Telegraph |accessdate= 21 May 2014 |url= http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rugby/balmain-positioning-themselves-for-opportunity-at-proposed-third-tier-of-australian-rugby/story-fnii0ksb-1226723055776}} </ref>
<ref name = dt-2014>{{cite web |date= 13 February 2014 |first= Iain |last= Payten |title= Balmain and Sydney University align for NRC bid and hope to sign Benji Marshall |work= The Daily Telegraph |accessdate= 21 May 2014 |url= http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/rugby/balmain-and-sydney-university-align-for-nrc-bid-and-hope-to-sign-benji-marshall/story-fni2fxyf-1226826415299}} </ref>
<ref name=roar-nrc-pt2-2014>{{cite web |date= 9 July 2014 |access-date= 9 July 2014 |publisher = The Roar |title= NRC update part 2: NSW Country and the Sydney teams |url= http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/07/09/rowrnrc-update-part-2-nsw-country-sydney-teams/ |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140709030205/http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/07/09/rowrnrc-update-part-2-nsw-country-sydney-teams/ |archive-date= 9 July 2014}} </ref>
<ref name = broasheet-2014>{{cite web |date= 23 September 2014 |first= Rebecca |last= Slater |title= Sea Change for the Charing Cross Hotel |work= Broadsheet |publisher= News |accessdate= 7 March 2022 |url= https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/food-and-drink/article/sea-change-charing-cross-hotel-23-09-14}} </ref>
<ref name = age-2005>{{cite web |date= July 17, 2005 |first= AAP |last= Reporters |title= Fanatics spitting chips over Coria |work= The Age |publisher= News |accessdate= 7 March 2022 |url= https://www.theage.com.au/sport/tennis/fanatics-spitting-chips-over-coria-20050717-ge0j1x.html}} </ref>
<ref name = afr-2022>{{cite web |date= 7 March 2022 |first= Larry |last= Schlesinger |title= Fanatics founder buys Parramatta pub for $42m |work= AFR |publisher= News |accessdate= 7 March 2022 |url= https://www.afr.com/property/commercial/fanatics-founder-buys-parramatta-pub-for-42m-20220307-p5a2dk}} </ref>
<ref name = will-2006>{{cite web |date= 12 February 2006 |first= Will |last= Swanton |title= Hewitt pulled plug because of snub to fans |work= Sydney Morning Herald |publisher= News |accessdate= 7 March 2022 |url= https://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/hewitt-pulled-plug-because-of-snub-to-fans-20060212-gdmybz.html}} </ref>
}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Livingstone, Warren}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:Businesspeople from Sydney Category:Australian company founders