https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/the-hundred-t20-blast-future-ecb-county-cricket-league-private-investment/?zephr_sso_ott=8V06yC

Report: The Hundred and T20 Blast could be replaced by new competition
ECB considering formation of a new T20 league and scrapping 100-ball format..
19 JULY 2023 JOSH SIM
NEWS

Getty Images

SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Presence of US-based MLC looms as a threat for T20 Blast and The Hundred
Proposed T20 league would allow for private investment as part of a shared ownership model
Women’s edition of The Hundred likely to be left alone
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and county cricket chiefs will consider whether to abandon the domestic The Hundred and the Twenty20 Blast men’s tournaments in favour of a single short-form competition, according to The Times.

The newspaper reports that there are increasing worries centred on the current domestic calendar and whether it can work with the presence of two short-form competitions. Furthermore, there are concerns that The Hundred will be unable to compete with other Twenty20 franchise leagues around the world.. The newly launched US-based Major League Cricket (MLC) competition, which is expected to expand next year, is particularly considered a major threat given it is held at the same time, with players being offered more lucrative deals.
Report: Women’s T20 Champions League being planned by CA, ECB and BCCI

Report: ECB preparing multi-year central contracts for players
An alternative proposal that is said to be under consideration and gained support, is to eliminate the eight Hundred franchises, as well as the hundred-ball format. In its place, a T20 league would be formed featuring the 18 counties, and potentially some of the National Counties – but it would feature a different ownership structure that would see the ECB share ownership of the proposed tournament alongside the counties and private investors.

According to The Times, the model would see a split into thirds between the three parties, that would pave the way for counties to strike partnerships with either local businesses or another local sports team to raise capital investment. Increased salaries could therefore be created as a result of the proposed ownership system.

While changes may be made to the men’s game, the women’s edition of The Hundred is considered a success, so much so that it may be left alone should it build a large enough following to take place independently. Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, has recently revealed that broadcast rights for women’s cricket will likely be unbundled from the men’s when negotiations for the next rights cycle from 2028 onwards commence.

Both the ECB and the counties are expected to examine the calendar at the end of the current season. It is thought that any changes to either The Hundred or the Blast would likely not be made before 2025, or even 2028, which is when the ECBs’ current broadcast rights deal is set to expire. The newspaper adds that any changes would require the agreement of all the counties, as well as needing to make sure a new competition would gain from a rewarding broadcast deal.

SportsPro says…
As recently as last month, Gould was insistent that he was not looking to make changes to the format of The Hundred. But rumours continue to swirl around the competition’s future, as it battles against the financial might of tournaments elsewhere. The maximum contract a men’s player can earn for The Hundred is worth UK£125,000 (US$161,419), which pales in comparison to the reported UK£300,000 (US$387,406) deal English cricketer Jason Roy has signed to play in the MLC.

Any changes to the domestic calendar will need to satisfy the counties, who are pushing for a stronger say in the running of English cricket. The addition of private investment would help them compete with overseas franchises in offering compelling offers for the country’s best short-form players, who frequently turn to the wealthy Indian Premier League (IPL) and other competitions.

Clearly, the women’s edition of The Hundred has a more secure future, and the increased interest in the recently concluded Women’s Ashes series would suggest the sport is on track to continue its upward trajectory. The ECB will need to ensure sustained investment and a stream of commercial deals will help elevate the women’s game profile so that a UK-based standalone competition can become a more viable possibility going forward.

read more at https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/the-hundred-t20-blast-future-ecb-county-cricket-league-private-investment/?zephr_sso_ott=8V06yC

RH