ECB to allow IPL franchise owners to change names of teams in the Hundred after buying stakes

The ECB are ready to sell a portion of the stakes of all eight teams in the Hundreds to the IPL franchise owners.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is ready to sell a portion of the stakes of all eight teams in the Hundred competition. More likely, the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises are the front-runners to buy the stakes that are up for grabs.

After the success of the IPL, the franchise owners have been keenly purchasing teams in other T20 tournaments.

These potential investments will come as a massive boost for the ECB. As said in a report by The Guardian, all ten IPL franchises are eager to get into this competition and make a bid to buy stakes in the Hundred.

ECB to allow IPL franchises to rename teams – Report

To attract the money of the IPL owners and the Indian audience, the ECB is also likely to allow the renaming of the teams in the Hundred.

The report states that the ECB will invite the bid in September and is willing to attract the IPL owners to make the bid. If it happens, the Hundred competition will also become a private league.

The report said, “All the IPL owners are saying they will bid, but they will want some control for their cash. It’s essentially a big brand play for the IPL, so we expect them to push for name changes, which will depend on the amount they have invested.”

All the English counties have given the green signal to the ECB, and the bidding process will start soon.

The bidding process will be under the supervision of the American bank, the Raine Group, who operated the sale process of United and Chelsea as well.

The inaugural IPL winner Rajasthan Royals are in talks to buy shares in the Northern Superchargers in their move to take over Yorkshire, while Delhi Capitals will go after Southern Brave after signing a 120 million-pound deal to acquire Hampshire.

Apart from the IPL franchise owners, the ECB is already in talks with a few other investors. These include Manchester United owner Avram Glazer and Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds. Birmingham City’s American owner, Knighthead Capital, have also shown interest in buying stakes in Birmingham Phoenix.

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