Photo Credit: Instagram Photo of @andrewstrauss_official
The Guardian reports that former England captain Andrew Strauss is in talks to invest in a Hundred franchise. His investment company, TTB Sport Capital, is acting as a consultant for potential bidders from India, the US, and the UK, and might even place its own bid.
Strauss joined TTB Sport Capital last year to lead its cricket investments after two tenures at the England and Wales Cricket Board, one as a director and another in an advisory role, following his distinguished playing career. As the executive chairman and a shareholder of the company, Strauss would have a personal stake should it invest in one of the eight Hundred franchises.
TTB Sport’s other investments include the rapidly growing racket sport of padel and Angel City, the LA-based National Women’s Soccer League team whose shareholders include Natalie Portman, Serena Williams, and Billie Jean King. The Ashes-winning captain is considered a valuable hire due to his extensive experience and connections within English cricket.
Strauss played 100 Test matches and 127 ODIs for England before serving as director of cricket for three and a half years, appointing the World Cup-winning duo of Trevor Bayliss and Eoin Morgan. He has influenced the Hundred’s future through a high-performance review on domestic cricket for the ECB, though it didn’t address the competition directly. His recommendations for the County Championship were rejected by the counties.
As a former Middlesex captain, Strauss is close to Sky Sports, regularly appearing as a pundit for England’s home Test matches. A strong advocate of the Hundred, he praised franchise leagues for advancing and “democratizing” cricket in the 21st MCC Cowdrey Lecture at Lord’s last year.
The ECB plans to transfer a 51% stake in each of the eight Hundred franchises to the counties and auction the remaining 49% to private investors over three months starting in September.
While there’s interest from the Indian Premier League, many owners are unhappy with the deal’s structure and hesitant to meet valuations of £40m to £80m for a minority stake. Despite ECB chairman Richard Thompson calling the Hundred a billion-pound asset, sources say raising £400m from selling 49% is more realistic.
Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians are reportedly frustrated with the sales process, while Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, and Lucknow Super Giants are more enthusiastic. The ECB is also seeking investment from the US, aiming for a 50/50 split of new owners. Potential investors include Manchester United’s Glazer family and Wrexham’s owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Representatives from Birmingham City attended the tournament’s opening games.
The ECB is also considering changing the competition to a T20 format from 2029, while retaining the Hundred brand. Strauss and TTB Sport have declined to comment.
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
