Man United and Chelsea owners ‘shortlisted to buy stake in Lord’s based Hundred franchise’ – with bids for £140m team sealed next week

Owners of Manchester United and Chelsea are reportedly among four shortlisted parties aiming to buy a stake in the London Spirit cricket franchise.

Mail Sport revealed last year that the ECB are hopeful of enticing American investment in the Hundred.

The ECB have been keen to sell stakes in all eight teams ahead of the competition’s reboot this year.

According to Sky News, Man United majority owners the Glazers are among those to have been shortlisted to secure a stake in London Spirit.

The team are viewed as the most prestigious of the franchises and are based at Lord’s for their matches.

An investment vehicle controlled by Todd Boehly, a shareholder in Chelsea, has also reportedly been shortlisted.

The Glazer family, Man United’s majority owners, are reportedly among the shortlisted parties

Todd Boehly, Chelsea chairman, is also said to be in contention for a stake in the franchise

They are said to face competition from a group of technology company owners and financiers, including the bosses of Google and Microsoft.

The RPSG Group, the owner of the Indian Premier League team Lucknow Super Giants, are also reported to be in contention.

London Spirit have reportedly been valued at £140m.

Bids are expected to be finalised next week in the process overseen by the Raine Group.

The group were charged with the process that led to Sir Jim Ratcliffe buying a stake in Man United and Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s takeover of Chelsea.

The Glazers have moved into cricket in recent years, buying the UAE side Desert Vipers – who play in the lucrative ILT20.

Their purchase reportedly followed their failure to buy a new Indian Premier League franchise back in 2021.

India’s richest family, the Ambanis, have reportedly set their sights on the Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals.

London Spirit, who play at Lord’s, are claimed to have been valued at around £140million

The Ambanis already own the IPL side, the Mumbai Indians.

The ECB are expected to raise around £350m in revenue following the auction of the eight Hundred franchises.

Host counties can reportedly opt to sell their 51 per cent stakes in the auction, while prospective parties will only be able to purchase stakes in one team.

The ECB told Mail Sport last month that it remained optimistic about selling all eight teams between ‘February and late summer’, and said there were ‘multiple bids’ for every team. 

The organisation has expressed a hope that the sale of stakes could help to bankroll county cricket for the next two decades and beyond.