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The Southern Brave cricket franchise has been sold to the co-owners of the Indian Premier League team Delhi Capitals, pushing the total valuation of The Hundred’s eight teams to more than £900 million. The Southern Brave, notable for their achievements in The Hundred, saw their men’s team crowned champions in 2021 and their women’s team in 2023.

The franchise was priced at approximately £98 million, representing a significant investment by the GMR Group, who took full control of Southern Brave and completed a takeover of the host county Hampshire last year. The sales have boosted the total funds raised from The Hundred’s team sales to around £550 million, which will be distributed among counties, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), and the domestic cricket game.

Notably, four of The Hundred teams now have affiliations with IPL franchises, reflecting the growing synergy between the premier cricket leagues. For instance, Surrey sold a 49% stake in Oval Invincibles to Mumbai Indians’ owners for £60 million, and Lancashire sold 70% of Manchester Originals to the owners of Lucknow Super Giants for roughly £81 million.

Additional significant sales include Yorkshire’s complete sale of Northern Superchargers to Sun Group for just over £100 million, and a consortium led by Nikesh Arora acquiring a 49% stake in London Spirit for £145 million. Other partial sales involved Glamorgan selling a 49% stake in Welsh Fire to Sanjay Govil for £40 million and Warwickshire selling a similar share in Birmingham Phoenix to Knighthead Capital for £40 million.

Further, Chelsea owner Todd Boehly invested nearly £40 million for a 49% share in Trent Rockets. With such substantial shifts, changes to The Hundred format are anticipated post-2025, potentially affecting team names, colors, or branding.

This influx of capital and international partnerships positions The Hundred favorably for future growth and enhances the competition’s global profile.

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