Five Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises have shown formal interest in The Hundred, the 100-ball competition organized by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The initial deadline for submitting first-round bids was Friday, October 18, and most of the interested parties are Indian investors, particularly IPL franchise owners.
IPL franchises such as Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Lucknow Super Giants are among the teams that have submitted bids, signaling their interest in acquiring franchises in The Hundred.
Avram Glazer’s Lancer Capitals, co-owners of Manchester United and operators of the Desert Vipers in the ILT20, have also reportedly joined the bidding for The Hundred. Notably, Royal Challengers Bangalore, owned by Diageo, and Punjab Kings decided not to participate in the bidding process, setting themselves apart from other IPL franchises.
As this is still the initial bidding phase, investors are not yet required to choose one of the eight teams in the competition. That decision will come later, during the second and more critical round of bidding, which the ECB anticipates might take place after the IPL auction concludes. This next phase is expected to include in-depth commercial discussions, with the ECB reportedly aiming for team valuations ranging from £75 million to £100 million.
 "5 IPL Teams Interested In Purchasing Teams in England's The Hundred 1")
According to the ECB’s Information Memorandum (IM), the board currently holds full ownership of The Hundred and all its teams. However, they plan to “sell at least 49% of each of the eight teams to new investors” who have the expertise and resources to enhance the competition. Potential investors looking to acquire a 49% share in a team are expected to invest between £40 million and £50 million, with the exact valuation being determined in the second phase of bidding.
The remaining 51% of ownership will be retained by the counties associated with each team, positioning new investors as joint venture partners with those counties. Additionally, investors may choose to purchase a portion or all of the county’s 51% stake. According to the Information Memorandum, The ECB intends to eventually transfer its remaining share in each team to their respective hosts, forging a permanent partnership between the new investors and some of the most iconic cricket institutions. Hosts will also have the option to sell part of their equity, potentially allowing investors to gain majority control.
The pathway to the bidding process of The Hundred is still being worked out by the ECB.
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
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