Are franchise IPOs the end game for The Hundred’s £1bn investors? August 28, 2025 Have The Hundred’s investors figured out yet how they will make a return? Look out for minority stake sales and maybe even listings in India, says Ed Warner. Never make an investment without having a plan on how to sell it. Illiquidity can scupper the most enticing of propositions. The very best portfolio managers, especially [...]
Government commit £1.5m to cricket domes, including in Luton August 25, 2025 The Government has committed £1.5m in funding towards the construction of two indoor cricket facilities ahead of the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup. The cash injection will see Luton and Lancashire get domes to ensure cricket can be played year-round. DCMS secretary Lisa Nandy said: “Cricket has a remarkable power to inspire and unite communities [...]
Hundred: ECB under fire over opt-out data transfer cut-off date August 15, 2025 Hundred organiser the ECB has come under fire for forcing fans to opt-out of having their data transferred to new franchise owners. At least 49 per cent of each of the eight Hundred franchises have been sold to overseas investors, with some teams selling a majority shareholding. And with it, as is common with ownership [...]
Chanel chief Leena Nair joins Tech Titans investor group at London Spirit August 13, 2025 Chanel chief executive Leena Nair has joined the Tech Titans group of investors who now own 49 per cent of London Spirit. The British-Indian executive was at Lord’s last week for the first game of this year’s Hundred competition between Spirit and Oval Invincibles after reaching out to Nikesh Arora, the chief executive of Palo [...]
County cricket faces viability questions, warns report July 15, 2025 County cricket faces “questions about its long-term viability” despite a looming £520m windfall from sales of stakes in the Hundred franchises, a new report has warned. The Leonard Curtis Cricket Finance Report, launched yesterday at the Oval, examines the financial health of domestic cricket in England and Wales. It found that central funding accounts for [...]
Global sports market forecast to be worth $600bn by 2030 July 1, 2025 Growth of the global sports market is forecast to accelerate, making it worth $600bn (£438bn) by 2030, according to a report published today by consultancy Kearney. The market has grown an average of five per cent annually since 2020 but that rate is expected to increase to eight per cent, the report says. “Sport is [...]
London Spirit: Tech titans eye speedy Hundred deal to beat Trump tax rises June 25, 2025 English cricket is set to be an unlikely beneficiary of US President Donald Trump’s tax changes, with the so-called “tech titans” who are buying into London Spirit eager to complete the transaction before the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is rubber-stamped by Congress. One clause of the Republic-sponsored bill, now with the Senate having been [...]
Six Nations look to lure Sky by bundling TV rights with Lions June 18, 2025 The Six Nations unions are in talks with the British and Irish Lions about bundling their TV rights for the next four-year cycle. European unions have already sold TV rights for the Six Nations between 2026 and 2029 in a joint deal with ITV and BBC, but have yet to go to market with their [...]
Premiership Rugby taps Raine and Deloitte as investors circle June 11, 2025 Premiership Rugby Limited (PRL) has engaged the Raine Group and Deloitte to manage potential investment in the competition or some of its clubs. Premiership Rugby is attracting inquiries from American investors looking to buy into English sport following the recent influx of purchasers of Premier League and EFL clubs, with interest expected to grow ahead [...]
Brighton owner Bloom looks to add French Ligue 1 club to portfolio May 28, 2025 In this week’s Ahead of the Game: Brighton owner Tony Bloom, football films, The Hundred sale, rugby rights and the National League. Brighton owner Tony Bloom is exploring a potential investment in a French club after completing his purchase of a 29 per cent stake in Scottish Premier League side Heart of Midlothian this week. [...]