Yorkshire County Cricket Club (Yorkshire CCC) has confirmed it is in exclusive negotiations to sell its full stake in The Hundred franchise Northern Superchargers to Sun Group, the owners of IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad. The deal, reportedly worth £100 million, would make Yorkshire the first county cricket club to fully divest its ownership in a Hundred team, marking a significant step in the competition’s transition toward private investment.
The Northern Superchargers, based at Headingley Stadium in Leeds, have been part of The Hundred since its launch in 2021, with Yorkshire CCC and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) jointly owning the franchise. The proposed sale aligns with the ECB’s strategy to invite private investment, as the governing body seeks to ensure long-term financial sustainability for The Hundred.
Sun Group’s interest in the Superchargers follows a pattern of IPL ownership groups expanding into English cricket. The Ambani family’s Reliance Industries recently took a stake in the Oval Invincibles, while the Lucknow Super Giants’ owners invested in the Manchester Originals. These investments suggest that Indian cricket investors see The Hundred as a key international growth opportunity.
For Yorkshire CCC, the decision to sell its stake is largely financially motivated. The club has faced significant financial struggles, including debts exceeding £20 million, much of which is owed to the family of former chairman Colin Graves. The funds from this sale would allow Yorkshire to stabilize its finances, reduce debt, and invest in long-term sustainability projects.
Yorkshire CCC Chief Executive Sanjay Patel acknowledged the impact of the deal, stating, “This is a major milestone for Yorkshire CCC, the Northern Superchargers, and the Sun Group. However, there is still due diligence to be completed before a contract is finalized.”
Beyond the immediate financial relief, the sale raises broader questions about the future of The Hundred’s ownership model. Originally designed as a city-based franchise competition with county involvement, the league is now moving toward a privately funded system, similar to the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Major League Cricket (MLC) in the US.
With IPL owners bringing their financial power and commercial expertise to The Hundred, it is expected that more teams could be sold to private investors, fundamentally reshaping the tournament’s structure. The ECB, which has controlled the commercial and broadcasting rights since The Hundred’s inception, will now have to negotiate a balance between private investment and maintaining control over league operations.
For Sun Group, this acquisition is a strategic expansion into the English cricket market. Sunrisers Hyderabad already operates franchises in the South African SA20 League (Sunrisers Eastern Cape) and the US-based Major League Cricket (Washington Freedom). By adding the Northern Superchargers to their portfolio, Sun Group aims to build a cross-continent cricket brand, leveraging its expertise in franchise management, sponsorship acquisition, and player development.
While the deal is not yet finalized, its completion would mark a historic shift for both Yorkshire CCC and The Hundred. With private investment becoming a growing trend in franchise-based cricket, this sale could be the first of many transactions as the ECB moves to modernize its commercial model.
The next few months will be critical as Yorkshire and the ECB work through the legal and financial details of the agreement. If the deal goes through, it could set a precedent for other county clubs to explore similar sales, bringing The Hundred closer to a fully investor-backed league—a move that could change the landscape of English domestic cricket for years to come.