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MANCHESTER UNITED majority owners the Glazers are reportedly in talks over a surprise new investment into UK sport.
The Glazer family have taken a back seat in controlling United following the minority takeover by Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s Ineos group earlier this year.
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PAThe Americans, who bought the Red Devils in 2005, also own NFL franchise Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
However, they are now set to dip their toes into the market for UK cricket.
According to The Telegraph, the Glazers are among the potential parties who could make an investment into a Hundred franchise.
The fourth edition of the competition begins today and runs through to the final on August 27.
But the competition has fallen drastically short in terms of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) financial ambitions, prompting them to search for investment of up to £500million.
Consequently, in September the ECB will begin a three-month auction-style process of selling stakes in the eight teams in the hopes of rebooting the competition from 2025.
On Monday the ECB said it had spoken to the ten team owners in the Indian Premier League, though interest is said to vary.
They are also said to have sent documents explaining the laws of the game to owners of NFL franchises in an effort to add interest to the game from the USA following the recent T20 Cricket World Cup held there.
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It is understood that talks have commenced between a number of parties.
And it’s reported that the Glazers, who already own UAE cricket team Desert Vipers and are estimated to be worth £3.9billion, have expressed a “firm interest” in investing.
The report does not mention a franchise that they hold a particular interest in.
However, if they opt to stay close to home, then it may see them throw support behind Manchester Originals, who play at Old Trafford cricket ground just 800 metres down the road from the football stadium.
ECB Head of Strategy Vikram Banerjee said he hoped investment would “seed funding for the financial sustainability of the whole sport”.
SunSport exclusively revealed Wrexham’s Hollywood owner’s Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are said to be interested in buying into Cardiff-based Welsh Fire, who are expected to draw the lowest of the eight bids.
Sources involved in the talks value half the franchise at around £20m.
The ECB have invited a number of investors down to games during this series in hopes of convincing them to invest.
Tom Brady‘s Knighthead capital group, which owns Birmingham, are expected to be in attendance at the Oval for the sold-out opener between Oval Invincibles and Birmingham Phoenix, with the latter piquing the interest of Brady and Co.
The Red Bull group already have a small commercial deal with the ECB and sponsor Ben Stokes and Alice Capsey, but are also interested in adding to their portfolio following investment into Championship outfit Leeds.
Banerjee also explained that he wanted to add more “tribalism” into cricket, adding: “We must continue to maintain best v best of players, both English and from around the world.
“We must continue to turbo-charge the women’s game. The Hundred has done brilliant things for women’s sport but we can’t rest on our laurels.
“We also want to move into more of a tribalism. Football is the example. Everyone talks about their favourite team.
“I’m an Aston Villa fan for my sins and have travelled up to Middlesborough, down to Bournemouth and wherever else to watch them.
“That is where we want to get the Hundred to, with fans of London Spirit travelling across the country rather than seeing it as just a day out.”
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