GMR Group have, as anticipated, secured a stake in Southern Courageous to conclude the ECB’s means of promoting fairness within the Hundred. GMR, co-owners of IPL crew Delhi Capitals, had been already the bulk shareholders of host county Hampshire, having purchased out former proprietor Rod Bransgrove final yr.
GMR Group, an Indian infrastructure conglomerate, owns groups in quite a few T20 leagues world wide, together with Delhi Capitals within the IPL and WPL, Dubai Capitals within the ILT20, Pretoria Capitals within the SA20, in addition to being principal traders in MLC facet Seattle Orcas.
It brings the variety of Hundred groups purchased into by IPL homeowners to 4, after Northern Superchargers (Solar Group), Manchester Originals (RPSG Group) and Oval Invincibles (Reliance). The ECB’s hopes for a diffusion of funding from world wide had already been realised by offers for Birmingham Phoenix (Knighthead Capital), Welsh Fireplace (Sanjay Govil), London Spirit (Silicon Valley consortium) and Trent Rockets (Cain Worldwide).
GMR had grow to be the primary abroad homeowners of an English county after they agreed a deal for Bransgrove’s majority shareholding final September. The acquisition didn’t assure a stake in Southern Courageous, nevertheless, with a mechanism requiring GMR to pay truthful market worth for 49% of Courageous earlier than the ECB would sanction the remaining 51% being transferred to Hampshire.
Courageous received the inaugural males’s Hundred in 2021, in addition to ending as runners-up final yr. Within the ladies’s competitors, they had been twice runners-up, in 2021 and 2022, earlier than lifting the trophy the next season.
Glamorgan to promote Govil additional 1%
Washington Freedom received MLC in 2024•MLC
Glamorgan have confirmed that they’ve entered into an exclusivity settlement with Sanjay Govil, the proprietor of MLC franchise Washington Freedom, at the beginning of talks to finalise Govil’s funding in Welsh Fireplace. Glamorgan are planning to promote 1% of the 51% transferred by the ECB as Welsh Fireplace’s host county, to “create an equal ownership split” with Govil.
Glamorgan chair, Mark Rhydderch-Roberts, stated: “It was vitally necessary for us that any funding accomplice shared our values, our strategic and business goals and our ambition to develop as a global model. Washington Freedom ticked all the containers and has been our most well-liked bidder for a while so we’re delighted that they’ve chosen to accomplice with us.
“They share our perception that each Glamorgan and Welsh Fireplace have big potential and that Welsh Fireplace, particularly, can grow to be a world model, opening business alternatives on a special scale throughout the entire spectrum of Welsh cricket.
“The growth of the global game and the role of the Hundred in engaging new audiences, transforming the Women’s game and showcasing the best global talent means that we are really excited by the endless opportunities that this partnership will present to both parties.”
He stated: “I’m thrilled for this next step forward in renewing and expanding cricket for the next generation of fans. I’m looking forward to the benefits our partnership will have not only for recreational cricket in the United Kingdom, but for strengthening the cross-border relationship between international teams, franchises, and fans for years to come.”
