In defence of The Hundred, by co-chair of Welsh Fire Sport Business Welsh Fire co-chair Mark Rhydderch-Roberts dissects The Hundred season, and urges doubters to give it a go. After a frenetic 27 days and a gripping and sold out Finals Day last Sunday at Lord’s, the 2026 Hundred tournament has concluded. Despite the best efforts of some to focus on a marginal decline in total attendances, [...]
Not enough bums in Brum: Why so many empty seats at European Athletics Championships? Sport Business Britain loves sport yet ticket sales for the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham have been slow. Ed Warner wonders why. British sport has a capacity problem or a bandwidth one, depending on which way you want to look at it. Too many seats in too many venues with too few bums to fill them. Or [...]
Cristiano Ronaldo on Mars: Where will sport take us in the next five years? Sport Business Tech disruption, athlete power and new formats: sport has changed dramatically since Ed Warner started writing weekly about the industry in 2021. This column – based on my weekly newsletter, Sport Inc. – has just reached its fifth anniversary. The book of the same name is three years older. In this short span of time, [...]
Bumper IPL takeovers boost T20 cricket franchise league’s value to over $20bn July 29, 2026 Multiple blockbuster team sales have boosted the Indian Premier League’s business value to more than $20bn, according to a new report by global investment bank Houlihan Lokey. The IPL’s value has increased more than 11 per cent year-on-year to $20.6bn following the takeovers of franchises Royal Challengers Bengaluru for a record $1.78bn and Rajasthan Royals [...]
Financial gap between Hundred host counties and others widening, report warns July 22, 2026 The financial gap between Hundred host clubs and the other 11 counties is widening and could continue to do so, according to a new financial report. The big four counties of Surrey, Lancashire, Hampshire and Warwickshire generated over half of the total revenue of all 18 first-class counties last year, with a “series of financial [...]
Mega-rich Hundred franchise owners in London for start of competition July 20, 2026 The mega-wealthy owners of London’s two Hundred franchises will be in the capital this week as the franchise cricket competition gets underway at the Oval. One of Asia’s richest family dynasties – the Ambanis – are expected to be at the Vauxhall cricket ground this afternoon as the newly branded MI London – formerly Oval [...]
Ed Warner: Why I’m optimistic about the future for Sussex Cricket July 9, 2026 ‘What will you do about your blog?’ was one question at interview, repeated a number of times since I was announced as the chair of Sussex Cricket last week. What of my trenchant criticisms of cricket’s leadership, the sport’s confused calendar and the divide between its haves and have nots? For now, this column and [...]
Monzo taps into English cricket with The Hundred sponsorship June 22, 2026 English cricket chiefs have added Monzo as a partner for The Hundred ahead of the sixth season of the white-ball competition. Monzo has become the official banking partner of The Hundred and will have in-stadium branding whenever the Decision Review System is implemented. The digital bank has a growing presence in sport and is the [...]
New mixed gender trophy introduced for coming Hundred season June 1, 2026 The Hundred will this season introduce a new team trophy as the franchise cricket tournament seeks to further expand its reach. The trophy, demonstrated at a kit launch at the Oval yesterday, will see men’s and women’s results combined, akin to a Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship that combines two driver performances. Fans will have the [...]
London Spirit embrace MCC egg and bacon on new Hundred kit May 28, 2026 The London Spirit Hundred franchise has embraced its Lord’s home, adding a egg and bacon colourway to their new kit. The strip, this year sponsored by Barclays, will be worn by the men’s and women’s team in this year’s edition of the Hundred, the first since a number of overseas investors started to make key [...]