A game-changer for cricket in England and Wales

The Hundred cricket tournament takes place every summer, featuring eight city-based women’s and men’s teams.

Its shorter, 100-ball format and higher-energy feel is designed to attract new audiences to cricket. And with the men’s and women’s teams sharing centre stage, it’s also breaking new ground for the women’s game.

In early 2025, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) selected eight new partners and investors for teams in The Hundred.

With six of the eight deals in place ahead of The Hundred’s 2025 competition, and the remaining two set for formal completion at a later date, hundreds of millions of pounds has been unlocked for game-wide growth.

It means an investment of more than £500 million into the English and Welsh cricket ecosystem, including a dedicated £50 million commitment to grassroots cricket, ensuring the game continues to thrive at every level.

Supporting the ECB to attract this investment, a team from Deloitte has been involved since the summer of 2023. Now, we’re looking forward to seeing the next chapter in The Hundred’s growth and development. 

Even the strongest sporting traditions can adapt and evolve. The Hundred is helping cricket to do exactly that, bringing new fans, boosting revenue and breaking records in women's sport.

Since its launch in 2021, more than two million tickets have been sold across the competition - 31% to female buyers, 23% for juniors and 41% to family buyers - and over one million fans have attended women's matches.

From enhancing the match-day experience to growing a global fanbase for the team, the ECB has huge ambitions for the tournament.

"We have an ambitious goal for The Hundred to become the world's top franchise league outside the IPL,” says Vikram Banerjee, Managing Director of The Hundred.

For The Hundred to achieve its potential, the right investment is vital. But growing the tournament is about more than finance.

“Meeting our ambitions depends on having the right partners. Those with experience of launching and growing legendary brands, clubs and teams that can draw the attention of audiences around the world.”

After exploring potential for new investment, the ECB and Deloitte engaged with partners that would bring their investment experience and sports-specific expertise to the tournament, choosing eight from over 100 expressions of interest.

Those selected are set to bring world-class expertise from across global sport, media, technology, and finance to back the evolution of English and Welsh cricket as shareholders in The Hundred’s eight teams.

Investors’ financial commitments, which value the eight teams at £975 million, speak volumes about the bright future they want to build.

Each new investor brings a tailored vision and expertise to their team, reflecting the growing commercial and cultural momentum behind The Hundred.

Sharing a commitment to developing players, engaging fans and growing the women’s game, they recognise the importance of growing cricket’s popularity in communities and schools, as well as the world stage. 

Already, the investment is triggering a wave of innovation across cricket that is helping to explore new markets and connect with more fans and participants around the world.

“Given the deep traditions of cricket in England and Wales, the decision to welcome new partners into the game was significant,” says Tim Bridge, lead partner in the Deloitte Sports Business Group.

“The evident passion of The Hundred’s investor consortium is recognition of how investment in sports assets is evolving and professionalising.”

The deal’s potential to shape the sports industry was swiftly recognised by the 2025 Sports Industry Awards and named inaugural Business Moment of the Year.

“It is no longer just about raising capital,” Tim concludes. “Securing partners that sporting bodies can work with to usher in a new era for their sport is just as important."

Beyond the pitch, with hundreds of millions set to be invested in professional and grassroots cricket, the sport is set to enjoy long-term stability and growth.

Aspiring players will have more exposure to cricket and additional pathways into the professional game, and opportunities for women players include salaries four times higher in 2025 than the first year of the women’s competition.

And cricket fans will have the opportunity to enjoy more of the fast-paced matches and standout players that help make the tournament feel fresh every summer.  

Get in touch

Andy Haywood
Marketing Lead, Sports Business Group
ahaywood@deloitte.co.uk
+44 (0) 1618 32 3555