IPL Takeover Of The Hundred: ECB Rejects Indian Premier League Control Over English Cricket

Interested investors had until Monday to submit their bids in the second round of the process. Each host county or club was also permitted to select two preferred partners for a potential joint venture.

Reportedly, eight of the ten IPL teams were represented in The Hundred's sales process by their owners or co-owners, who were engaged in discussions with counties for more than two months.

However, what might have avoided their involvement in the English cricket is the strong interest coming from private equity firms and US-based sports investors, some of whom are already active in English football, for example Avram Glazer, the co-owner of the Premier League club Manchester United.

"This isn't going to end up being an IPL takeover," said Richard Thompson, ECB chairman in the latest edition of Wisden Cricket Monthly. "There's a huge amount of American money involved - very sophisticated investors who understand franchise sport. We invented sport, they invented the franchise, and they're looking long-term", he added.

According to reports, Cain International, founded by Chelsea co-owner Jonathan Goldstein, and Knighthead Capital, owners of Birmingham City, are one of those American interests that Richard Thompson is talking about.

Apparently, the England Cricket Board aims to generate at least ￡350 million from the sales process of The Hundred and is likely preferring a diverse group of investors, rather than a scenario where all eight have similar backgrounds, to meet this target.

American investors, having already achieved significant success in the English Premier League, believe that the structure of English law, along with the country's tribalism and passion for sport, presents a unique opportunity, according to the ECB chairman. Given their success in football, they feel it could be replicated in cricket with the right investment.

Speaking of IPL franchise owners, they have become a major presence in the three major T20 leagues over the last two years, investing in four out of the six Major League Cricket (MLC) franchises, three of the six ILT20 franchises in the UAE, and all six teams in SA20 of South Africa.

Other interested parties in The Hundred sales are Sanjay Govil, a tech entrepreneur and owner of Washington Freedom in MLC, as well as CVC Capital Partners, owners of Gujarat Titans in the IPL, and Ares Management. They showed interest in the previous champions Oval Invincibles.

Also, the reports suggests that the Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney who are the co-owners of Welsh football club Wrexham AFC, are believed to have been in contact with the English board showing their interest in Welsh Fire.