In a historic move, the GMR Group, the owners of the Delhi Capitals franchise in the Indian Premier League have agreed to acquire a majority stake in Hampshire for £120 million, potentially making it the first English county club to be owned by an overseas franchise.
According to The Telegraph, The GMR Group, which also holds a 50 percent stake in both the Delhi Capitals' Indian Premier League and Women's Premier League franchises, along with several other T20 teams in different leagues, is set to take full ownership of Hampshire and a 49 percent stake in the Southern Brave, with the option to eventually acquire 100 percent of the Hundred franchise.
Their offer of £120 million (INR 1,278 crore), which includes Hampshire's debts of around £60 million, reportedly trumped a rival bid from the Lucknow Super Giants of the Indian Premier League.
In addition to the club, the new owners will also acquire the Utilita Bowl (Hampshire's home ground), a Hilton hotel, and a golf course all located near Southampton.
GMR to become first outright owners of a Hundred team
This takeover by GMR, which also has ownership interests in the Dubai Capitals of the ILT20 and the Seattle Orcas of Major League Cricket, positions the Indian franchise to become the first outright owners of a Hundred team.
The impending takeover could potentially provide Hampshire with access to young players from the Delhi Capitals, although the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) currently prohibits Indian players from participating in the Hundred. However, if the Delhi Capitals become part of the competition, this policy may change. At present, Hampshire would still have the option of potentially signing DC youngsters for short-term contracts in county cricket.
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In September, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will initiate a three-month auction-style process to sell stakes in its eight teams, aiming to revitalize the competition from 2025 onwards.
Last month, the board reportedly engaged in discussions with all 10 team owners of the IPL, whose level of interest in investing varied.
Meanwhile, in another significant development, the Rajasthan Royals have reignited discussions with Yorkshire about a potential takeover at Headingley. 6,000 Yorkshire members will need to vote for the potential deal through a ballot.
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