ECB contacts NFL owners over Hundred team sales

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has contacted owners of teams in the NFL about potential investment in The Hundred.

Stakes in the eight Hundred teams will be sold later this year and investors will be in place for the 2025 season.

The ECB has spoken to every team owner in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women’s Premier League and will host some interested parties, including those from the United States, during this year’s tournament, which begins on Tuesday.

“We have sent a document and video to some NFL owners to explain what cricket is,” said ECB director of business operations Vikram Banerjee.

“In terms of fan engagement, how they can build stadia experience and bring in the next generation, those guys are amazing. We can bring that blend together.”

The ECB launched The Hundred and its controversial 100-ball format in 2021, with a competition of eight franchises each made up of a men’s and women’s team.

Despite the upheaval coming through the sales of the teams, there are no plans to change the format to T20.

Discussions over an expansion from eight teams have taken place, though any growth in the competition would be in line with TV broadcast deals and Sky have a contract in place until the end of the 2028 season.

In December 2022 the ECB turned down an offer from Bridgepoint Group to buy a 75% stake in the competition and there are currently no plans for the governing body to sell the tournament.

However, stakes in the eight teams will be for sale from September. The hosts of the eight teams will be given a 51% share, which they can sell or keep, with the remaining 49% in each team sold by the ECB.

Of the 49% stakes sold, 10% of the revenue will go to the recreational game in England and Wales and the rest then shared between the 18 first-class counties and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The 11 non-host counties will get a greater share of this portion.

The eight hosts that will get a 51% share of their clubs are Lord’s (MCC/London Spirit), The Oval (Surrey/Oval Invincibles), Southampton (Hampshire/Southern Brave), Cardiff (Glamorgan/Welsh Fire), Trent Bridge (Nottinghamshire/Trent Rockets), Edgbaston (Warwickshire/Birmingham Phoenix), Old Trafford (Lancashire/Manchester Originals) and Headingley (Yorkshire/Northern Superchargers).

These hosts can sell all or part of their stake, or keep it all. If they do sell, 10% of the proceeds will go to the recreational game.

The way in which the teams are being sold raises the prospect of an investor not being able to buy a complete or controlling share of any of the eight.

Venky Mysore, managing director of IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, told the BBC investors will see this as a “challenge”.

It is understood that at least three of the eight hosts are planning on keeping their 51%, while at least two are looking to sell some of their share.

In return for their investment, new owners will have the opportunity to change the names, colours and branding of their teams.

ECB chief executive Richard Gould said part of the motivation for selling the teams was so The Hundred could raise the money to attract the world’s best players in a landscape awash with franchise leagues.

The English summer is facing an increasing challenge from Major League Cricket in the United States.

“We need to be able to ensure our best men and women players play and we can attract the best overseas players,” said Gould. “If we were to delay too much I think others may end up stealing a march on us.”

Banerjee added that the eight teams will not simply be sold to the highest bidders, explaining that partnerships between hosts and investors are a significant factor in eventual deals.

“I won’t say money is not important, because it is important, but alongside that are the skillsets that can support English cricket,” said Banerjee.

“Can we bring in the very best at fan engagement, at family audiences, digital and social media, who are the very best at driving women’s sport and cricket operations? Can we bring them together in one league, in one place?”