Champions Trophy: What competition tells us about politics in sport February 23, 2025 It feels like cricket forces upon itself a major tournament every year. There’s T20 Cricket World Cups, 50-over World Cups and – taking place now in Pakistan – the Champions Trophy. Despite being ditched on multiple occasions, and not being held since 2017, the Champions Trophy is under way. But it is, in reality, an [...]
Leeds United and NFL team owners in talks to buy hard-up Rangers February 20, 2025 Rangers look set to become the latest British football club to get American owners – as revealed by City AM six months ago. The Glasgow giants are reportedly in advanced talks with a consortium led by Paraag Marathe, the chairman of Leeds United and a vice-president of NFL team the San Francisco 49ers’ investment arm, [...]
Ahead of the Game: Tottenham in crosshairs as Ratcliffe eyes more cuts February 19, 2025 Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos are set to continue cutting their investment in sport beyond Manchester United with the company’s commercial deal with Tottenham Hotspur unlikely to be renewed. Spurs signed a five-year contract with Ineos Grenadier as their official 4×4 vehicle partner in 2022, having previously partnered with Ineos Hygienics as official hand sanitiser [...]
Hundred: Who are winners and losers from £1bn cricket sale? February 14, 2025 When a collective £975m valuation was placed on the Hundred this month many were surprised a competition in its infancy could fetch such a number. But the franchise competition through, largely, eight 49 per cent stakes being sold by the England and Wales Cricket Board, has exceeded expectations – around £700m was seen as a [...]
Manchester Originals investors ‘happy’ despite missing out on London Spirit February 14, 2025 The owner of Indian Premier League side Lucknow Super Giants, RPSG Group, says it is “extremely happy” to have bought a stake in the Hundred franchise Manchester Originals despite initially bidding for Lord’s-based London Spirit. RPSG was gazumped in the auction of a 49 per cent stake in London Spirit by a consortium of Silicon [...]
Women’s Premier League: Who owns the teams in IPL sibling? February 14, 2025 Amid the hype surrounding the Hundred franchises being sold off to, mostly, Indian or American-Indian investors; the Women’s Premier League (or Women’s IPL) starts today. Having seen its five franchises fetch a collective $572m and media firm Viacom 18 spending over $100m on a five-year broadcast deal, the Women’s IPL is heading into its third [...]
ECB open to playing Hundred matches overseas after £1bn sale February 13, 2025 The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) says it would be open to staging Hundred matches overseas following the sale of stakes in all eight franchises that values them at close to £1bn. The ECB will retain control of the competition but has pledged to engage with its powerful coterie of new investors, who include [...]
Ambanis and Boehly: Who owns the Hundred teams after £975m sale? February 13, 2025 With the sale of Southern Brave confirmed on Wednesday, all eight of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s 49 per cent stakes in Hundred franchises have been sold. Sellers, counties and buyers will now enter into exclusive negotiations on the details but it is expected to run, mostly, without a hitch. The valuations placed on [...]
Eddie Jones: I want to become an IPL coach February 12, 2025 Former England rugby coach Eddie Jones has revealed he wants to move into cricket’s Indian Premier League, insisting he could “100 per cent” win the IPL. Jones is England’s most successful coach by win percentage, took the team to the 2019 World Cup final in Japan before being sacked and replaced by incumbent Steve Borthwick, [...]
Ahead of the Game: Six Nations TV rights tender hit by delay February 12, 2025 The Six Nations TV tender has been put on hold due to delays in finalising the format of the new global Nations Championship, which will launch next year. The 12-team tournament will definitely take place, with each nation playing three games in each hemisphere followed by play-offs in London, but the Six Nations and Sanzaar [...]