Among the prospective investors in the Hundred franchises later this year are the Glazer family, Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham group, and Red Bull.
As the fourth season of the men's and women's Hundred kicks off on Tuesday, significant investments are on the horizon. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will launch a three-month auction in September, aiming to sell stakes in the eight teams and rejuvenate the competition by 2025.
The ECB recently disclosed that all ten Indian Premier League team owners had been approached, with varying levels of interest. Additionally, videos and documents explaining cricket laws were sent to NFL team owners to generate interest in the American market.
Telegraph Sport has identified several parties still keen on investing following discussions with the ECB and its advisors, Deloitte and the Raine Group.
The Glazer family, owners of Manchester United since 2005, hold a majority stake even after selling 25% to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group. They also own the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and recently ventured into franchise cricket by purchasing the Desert Vipers in the UAE's ILT20. The Glazers are now seriously considering investing in a Hundred franchise.
Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds and actor Rob McElhenney, who acquired Wrexham in February 2021, have seen the club's global profile soar thanks to their "Welcome To Wrexham" documentary on Disney+. They are now interested in investing in the Cardiff-based Welsh Fire, which is expected to attract the lowest bids among the eight teams. Following several meetings with the ECB, efforts are underway to bring them to a game this season to further evaluate the opportunity.
ECB executives recently met with Microsoft CEO and chairman Satya Nadella in New York during the T20 World Cup. Nadella, a co-owner of the Seattle Orcas in the USA’s Major League Cricket, has also expressed interest in the Hundred.
Knighthead Capital, owners of Birmingham City with former NFL quarterback Tom Brady, plan to attend the sold-out season opener at Kia Oval. They are considering adding Birmingham Phoenix to their Midlands portfolio. Additionally, Red Bull, which has a commercial deal with the ECB and sponsors England’s Ben Stokes and Alice Capsey, is eyeing investment in one of the teams.
The ECB did not comment on these developments.
The sale proceeds will be distributed among the 19 first-class counties. According to Vikram Bannerjee, head of strategy, this will provide "seed funding for the financial sustainability of the whole sport." Bannerjee believes private investment will help cricket adopt the "tribalism" seen in football fandom.
Bannerjee highlighted the need to maintain top-tier talent, both English and international, and to continue advancing the women's game. He stated that while the Hundred has significantly boosted women's sports, complacency is not an option.
Despite some global cricket league investors cooling on the ECB’s proposals, ECB chief executive Richard Gould highlighted the competitive global market and the necessity to secure the best players to stay ahead. Gould mentioned that although there are no active plans to change the unique hundred-ball format to a T20 league, there is potential for expansion in 2029, aligning with the next broadcast cycle.
"We are having constructive talks with our stakeholders about expanding the competition," Gould noted, expressing an ambition to grow the tournament in the future.