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The GMR Group, the co-owners of Delhi Capitals, has reportedly agreed to buy a majority stake in Hampshire county cricket club in England for a whopping £120 million. With that, Hampshire became the first county club to be owned by an overseas entity, with the GMR Group acquiring 51% of their shares.
As per the report from the Telegraph, the GMR Group got the deal done with Hampshire after outbidding their IPL rivals Lucknow Super Giants. The co-owners of Delhi Capitals have also taken up around £60 million debt of Hampshire while becoming the majority stake owner of the county cricket club.
The terms of the deal allow the GMR Group to take control of the Utilita Bowl Cricket Stadium, the Hilton hotel, and the golf course at the same venue in Hampshire. Notably, the officials of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Hampshire county cricket club, and the GMR Group will be making the official announcement of the deal very soon, according to the report in the PTI.
The involvement of the Delhi Capitals co-owners could potentially give Hampshire the chance to utilise the young talent from India in their domestic tournaments, including The Hundred. Although it is important to note that the BCCI don’t allow the active cricketers from India in the overseas league as per their regulations.
Moreover, in the other similar news, Yorkshire have reopened talks about a potential takeover with Rajasthan Royals.
