ECB finalises deals with strategic partners in The Hundred

London [UK], July 30 (ANI): The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Wednesday confirmed an achievement in the evolution of The Hundred, with deals now complete with the first six strategic partners for The Hundred teams.
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. Each new investor brings a tailored vision and expertise to their team, reflecting the growing commercial and cultural momentum behind The Hundred, an ECB press release 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.
The milestone comes less than a week before the 2025 competition begins and marks a transformative moment for The Hundred and the future of cricket in England and Wales, with more than 500 million pounds of total proceeds when all deals are complete to be shared between professional counties and the grassroots game. This announcement follows the exclusivity period launched earlier this year, during which selected investors entered final-stage negotiations.
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 six deals which have now formally completed are:
London Spirit - Tech Titans (49 per cent)
Birmingham Phoenix - Knighthead Capital Management, LLC, on behalf of its investors ("Knighthead") (49 per cent)
Manchester Originals - RPSG Group (70 per cent)
Northern Superchargers - Sun TV Network Limited (100 per cent)
Southern Brave - GMR Group (49 per cent)
Welsh Fire - Washington Freedom (50 per cent)
The two deals which remain on track to formally complete later are:
Oval Invincibles- Reliance Group (49 per cent)
Trent Rockets- Cain International & Ares Management (49 per cent)
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 pounds commitment to grassroots cricket, ensuring the game continues to thrive at every level, with the remainder distributed to professional counties.
Richard Thompson, ECB Chair, said: "The Hundred has already played a vital role in growing cricket in England and Wales -- attracting new audiences, elevating the women's game, and delivering high-quality entertainment. The sheer scale of global interest we've seen throughout this process highlights just how much potential remains to be unlocked.
"With these new partners on board, we are entering an exciting new phase and a seminal moment for cricket in England and Wales. Their global perspective and track record in elite sport and business will help us reimagine what's possible -- from deepening fan connections to attracting even more world-class players.
"Crucially, this investment will not only fuel the competition's growth but also channel transformative levels of funding into our professional counties and grassroots game. This will ensure cricket continues to thrive at all levels across England and Wales for generations to come, supporting our broader ambitions to become the country's most inclusive sport and driving cricket into harder to reach and under-served communities."
The new partners are investing in The Hundred teams, while the ECB retains full ownership of the competition itself, and with that, control over key areas such as regulations, the length of the window and other matters that have a wider game-wide impact.
A new The Hundred Board will be established, featuring representatives of the ECB and the teams (both investors and host clubs), which will have delegated authority over certain defined matters relating to the strategic direction and commercial growth of The Hundred, such as The Hundred sponsorship and licensing deals, player salaries and player draft and retention mechanics. (ANI)