The American joins three Indian Premier League owners, a Silicon Valley consortium, Knighthead Capital – the owners of Birmingham City football club – and Indian-American businessman Sanjay Govil in investing in the tournament.
That is beyond even the ECB’s bullish predictions before this whole process began and is expected to see around £50m pumped into the recreational game and each of the 18 first-class counties, plus the MCC, receive a windfall of around £23m each.
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Read MoreDespite the scepticism – and in some cases outright hatred – so many have towards the Hundred, this could be good for cricket in this country, at least in the short-term.
“Despite the criticism aimed at this competition, in financial terms so far, the numbers have to be viewed as a positive for the overall game.
As for what these investors have bought, Plumley says: “Future growth and potential. Think of it as another step towards a global franchise market, particularly with the IPL angle where owners have already bought stakes in three of the seven teams sold so far.
“I wouldn’t expect too much to change this season but in 2026 we could see new kits, different team names, and – through further salary increases – better players. Maybe we see expansion in the future as well with other teams being added, especially when broadcast contracts come up for renewal in a few years’ time.”
The Hundred sales
London Spirit: Silicon Valley consortium, 49 per cent share – £145m Oval Invincibles: Reliance Industries, 49 per cent – £60m Birmingham Phoenix: Knighthead Capital, 49 per cent – £40m Manchester Originals: RPSG Group, 70 per cent – £81m Welsh Fire: Sanjay Govil (Washington Freedom owner), 49 per cent – £40m Northern Superchargers: Sunrisers Hyderabad, 100 per cent –£100m Trent Rockets: Cain International (Todd Boehly), 49 per cent – £40m Southern Brave (still to go): expected to raise around £50m for 49 per cent stakeOf the sales, the first 49 per cent share will see 10 per cent go to the recreational game and the rest split between the 18 first-class counties and MCC, the owners of Lord’s.
The remaining 51 per cent share has been gifted from the England & Wales Cricket Board to the eight host counties. If clubs choose to sell off part or all of that share:
10 per cent will go to the recreational game 10 per cent to the other 17 first-class counties and MCC 80 per cent to the host countySo far the sales have generated:
Recreational game: £49.5m (expected to be around £55m after sale of Southern Brave stake) Counties/MCC: £21m (expected to be around £23m each after sale of Southern Brave stake)In future, the eight Hundred franchises will share the majority of broadcast and commercial revenues between themselves. It is understood the ECB, who still own the Hundred, will receive just 20 per cent of future revenues from the tournament.
Sean Jarvis, the chief executive of Leicestershire, traditionally one of the poorest of the 18 counties, says: “As a club, we’ve been scrapping hand to mouth really, day to day to make sure we survive.
“What we do with the windfall is crucial to our long-term survival. Ironically, the lack of development at Grace Road over the years makes it an ideal opportunity now to look at developing parts of the ground that can generate income away from cricket.”
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Read MoreBut Steve Elworthy, Surrey’s chief executive, believes the Hundred sell-off can sustain the county game for the next generation.
As for fears the Hundred will cannibalise the county game, Elworthy believes both can thrive alongside each other in the long-term.
“We will always look to protect the County Championship as it is the pinnacle of the domestic game.
Tymal Mills believes the sale will attract better players to the Hundred (Photo: Getty)
What that means for other competitions is clear. The One-Day Cup, played during the Hundred, is now essentially a development competition. The T20 Blast is likely to be shortened too.
“They should condense it for the quality of the product,” Mills tells The i Paper.
Mills is understandably happy investment means salaries are certain to rise from next year.
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Read More“I’d be baffled if there wasn’t a significant increase at all levels,” Mills says.
“If you go to the MLC, for example, that’s run out of Texas that has no state income tax. Those are things maybe people don’t take into consideration. So for some of the guys at the top the money does need to be quite high. I’m sure that’ll benefit in getting names on the pitch.”
But what about the rest? Jarvis, formerly commercial director at Huddersfield Town football club, believes there must be a way into the Hundred for the 10 counties currently not part of it, potentially by creating a second division with promotion and relegation.
“We understand the need to establish the competition over a period of time hence the closed-door to getting into that eight. But all the others must have the opportunity to get into that division in future.
Yet the reason there has been so much resistance to the Hundred, a manufactured product devoid of history, is because it is anathema to British sporting culture.
The money coming in now is welcome but the true price of selling off part of the English summer will only become clear many years down the line.
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