The GMR company, a co-owner of Delhi Capitals, has expressed interest in purchasing Hampshire County Cricket Club.
According to sources, a transaction of £120 million (INR 1278 crore) has been reached whereby the firm will acquire Hampshire in its entirety and will own 51 percent of Southern Brave, a team that competes in the men’s and women’s Hundred. In the future, there will be a chance for the IPL franchise to switch to 100% ownership.
The offer to purchase teams in The Hundred was made to IPL franchisees in January by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Although other teams expressed interest, GMR Group is thought to have struck the first successful deal. They have reportedly defeated Sanjeev Goenka‘s RPSG firm, which also owns the Lucknow Super Giants, to take ownership of Hampshire.
After retiring in 2023, Rod Bransgrove, who retains 60% of the shares, is anticipated to sell them to GMR group. The club’s worth climbed to £100 million (INR 1065 crore) throughout the negotiating process, despite having a debt of £60 million (INR 639 crore). The Daily Telegraph reports that the increase in value was calculated with consideration for the international matches and impressive ticket sales of Hampshire’s Utilia Bowl.
In addition, the Hilton hotel, the golf course, and the stadium at the same location will all be governed by the GMR Group.
Durham and Northamptonshire can also sell their shares, in addition to Hampshire. Since they are all member-owned, the other County Clubs are unable to sell their ownership “without fan input.” It will be interesting to observe if other IPL owners express interest in Northamptonshire and Durham or if their main focus is on purchasing stocks of The Hundred teams now that GMR group has clinched its contract with Hampshire. It is thought that they are negotiating, and before the year is up, several agreements should be broken.
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Interestingly, Hampshire and Rajasthan Royals were partners from 2010 to 2013. Back then, they went by the name Hampshire Royals. They resumed using the county name after the agreement expired. The GMR Group is a shareholder of the Seattle Orcas, Dubai Capitals, and Pretoria Capitals.
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