The ECB’s sales process for stakes in Hundred franchises has reached its final round. The Sale of the franchise and their equity in The Hundred has hogged the news headlines in the last few weeks.
The England Board are selling stakes in the Hundred franchise to IPL owners like Reliance Industries, RPSG Group, and Sun Group which includes sharing profit from ticket sales and broadcasts.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has seen investments from some of the biggest names not just in cricket, but football and Silicon Valley.
These deals seem quite difficult and far away from understanding. However, it is similar to the IPL and is way simpler to understand.
The Hundred sale of 49 per cent stakes being sold by the England and Wales Cricket Board has exceeded expectations around euro 700 millions was seen as a hopeful tournament valuation before the series of mini auctions.
What do investors get in buying The Hundred Stakes?
Each successful bidder has bought the stakes in one of the eight teams of the Hundred competition.
The England are subject to agreements in next eight weeks in the event an agreement with the chosen investor is not reached in that tim period, the team will be back to sales window.
Who Bought The Hundred Stakes?
- The Ambani Groups, Reliance Industries (Mumbai Indians Owner) has bought the 49% stakes in Oval Invicibles while Surrey will retain 51% of the shares.
- A New York-based investment firm, Knighthead Capital are buying a 49% stake in Birmingham Phoenix while the 51% will remain with Warwickshire.
- Holdings Limited, a consortium of Silicon Valley tech has bought 49% stake in London Spirit with MCC retaining 51%.
- An Indian-American tech entrepreneur and the owner of Washington Freedom, is buying a 50% stake in Welsh Fire while Glamorgan has retained 50%.
- GMR Group, the Indian Congolomerate which co-owns Delhi Captials has bought 49% stakes in Southern Brave with GMR are taking over host County Hampshire.
- The 49% stakes of Trent Rockets was bought by Cain International backed by Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehley and Ares Management Credit, while Nottinghamshire will retain 51%.
- Meanwhile the media Conglomerate who own Surisers Hyderabad has bought 100% of Northern Superchargers as Yorkshire will not retain a financial interest.
How does the Sale Deal works?
The ECB says the investors have committed to a minimum five-year period, which will run through to the end of 2030. The deal do not include a franchsie fee like those paide annually by IPL franchises to the BCCI.
How does the Investment impact on The Hundred get better players?
Salaries are increasing at the top end in 2025 and the ECB told investors that they should prepare for them for a higher when they take over.
New Ownership could see players who are associated with a particular franchise involved in The Hundred and the overlap between investors in The Hundred and MLC should ensure those leagues do no clash again going forwards.
Will more Teams will be added to The Hundred Competition?
It is unlikely to happed in the next four years though several counties have expressed an interest in hosting a Hundred team if the tournament does expand in future including Durham, Somerset, Kent and Gloucestershire.
However, the ECB’s chief executive said last summer that there is ambition for expansion at some point.
“Expansion is a good sign if it happens, so I’ll be delighted if it does… If the tournament grows and cricket grows across the country, then it’ll be almost a no-brainer,” said Banerjee.
Is there possible for the Competition become a T20 League?
The 100-ball format has proved popular with broadcasters. allowing the games to fit into three hour window.
But several speculation that the tournament could change to the more familar T20 format at some stage. However, it is clear that the format is highly unlikely to change before the existing broadcast deal runs out at the end of the 2028 season.
The Director of business operations Vikram Banerjee said, “The aspects of the Hundred that have worked well in terms of reaching out to a new market, the fact that it finishes at 9.30pm so families can attend and watch – all those sorts of things are part of what’s appealed to investors.”
“So at this point in time, we haven’t had a huge amount of clamour for changing the format.”
