Four IPL team owners to take on strategic roles in The Hundred from October
On Wednesday, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that four Indian Premier League (IPL) team owners have been named as "strategic partners" for teams in The Hundred. These owners will take over the running and management of their teams by October 1 this year.
The sport’s main organisation in England said in a statement that new partnerships, including ones with India’s GMR, Sun TV Network, RPSG Group, and Reliance Group, will help bring in hundreds of millions of pounds to support and grow the game across the country. The ECB also mentioned that two more partnerships, including one with Reliance Group for a stake in the Oval Invincibles team, are expected to be officially completed soon.
IPL Team Owners Invest in The Hundred as ECB Confirms Six Strategic Partnerships
These IPL team owners had acquired their respective stakes in The Hundred's teams over recent months. Some of them, including the owners of Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants, and Sunrisers Hyderabad, own teams competing in South Africa's premier T20 competition, SA20.
"The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today confirmed a landmark achievement in the evolution of The Hundred, with deals now complete with the first six strategic partners for The Hundred teams," the board said.
"The remaining two are set for formal completion at a later date. They remain on track, in line with the ECB having offered investors the option of completing later," it added.
Indian Franchise Owners Expand into The Hundred Teams with Major Stakes
RPSG Group, the owners of the Lucknow Super Giants, will hold 70% of the Manchester Originals team. On the other hand, Sun TV Network, which owns Sunrisers Hyderabad, will fully own the Northern Superchargers with 100% control.
The GMR Group, which co-owns the Delhi Capitals team, will have a 49 percent stake in the Southern Brave team. The other deals include Tech Titans having a 49 per cent stake in London Spirit, Knighthead Capital Management, LLC, on behalf of its investors "Knighthead" having a similar 49 per cent stake in Birmingham Phoenix, and Washington Freedom having a 49 per cent stake in Welsh Fire.
ECB Confirms Major Franchise Deals for The Hundred
The ECB said that two deals are still moving ahead as planned. One is Reliance Group buying a 49% stake in the Oval Invincibles, and the other is Cain International and Ares Management taking a 49% stake in the Trent Rockets.
"This pivotal moment sees The Hundred become the first UK sports competition to secure franchise partnerships of this scale, drawing on world-class expertise from across global sport, media, technology, and finance," the ECB said.
"Each new investor brings a tailored vision and expertise to their team, reflecting the growing commercial and cultural momentum behind The Hundred," the ECB said.
The ECB said an amount exceeding 500 million pounds will be shared between professional counties and the "grassroots game" when all the deals are complete. "This announcement follows the exclusivity period launched earlier this year, during which selected investors entered final-stage negotiations," it said.
"In most cases, investors will operate their franchise in The Hundred in partnership with the host club. They will take over operational control from October 1, 2025," the board added.
ECB Secures £975 Million Investment to Boost The Hundred and Grassroots Cricket
The ECB said, "Collectively, the eight partnerships represent a valuation of the teams of over 975 million pounds, with more than 500 million pounds now set to be invested into the English and Welsh cricket ecosystem."
"This includes a dedicated 50 million commitment to grassroots cricket, ensuring the game continues to thrive at every level, with the remainder distributed to professional counties." ECB chairman Richard Thompson said,
"The sheer scale of global interest we've seen throughout this process highlights just how much potential remains to be unlocked." The board added that while the new partners are investing in the teams in The Hundred, the ECB retains full ownership of the competition itself. With that, control over key areas such as regulations, the length of the window and other matters that have a wider game-wide impact," the board said.
A new board will be set up that includes people from the ECB, the teams, investors, and host clubs. This board will be given the power to make decisions on specific things, especially those that affect the future direction and business growth of the league.
ALSO READ: Pakistan Tour of West Indies 2025: Full Schedule, Squads, and Streaming Details