After having talks for over six months, the GMR Group has acquired a majority stake in Hampshire County Cricket Club. The deal, which is supposedly worth Rs 1200 crore, has given GMR a 49% stake in Hampshire to start with and will later give them the option to acquire the remaining 51%.
Not only will GMR now own Utilita Bowl (South Bowl) Ground but also the Hilton hotel and the 18-hole golf course as well. This will also mark the entry of an IPL team into the English country system. Last year, the Rajasthan Royals tried to acquire the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, but the deal couldn’t go through. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) also tried their hands but couldn’t secure a deal either.
With the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) willing to sell the Hundred teams, this certainly opens up opportunities for the GMR Group to acquire the Southern Brave (both men and women). The Mumbai Indians and LSG are also looking to buy a majority stake in an Hundred team, but the Delhi Capitals certainly have an advantage over the other two now.
“There is going to be a lot of interest from IPL franchises because they have the money and this is a golden opportunity for the ECB to achieve the long desired financial stability,” a source told the Times of India.
