IPL Franchise Delhi Capitals In Talks To Own Stakes In Hampshire County Club
GMR is eyeing a heavy stake in Hampshire club (Twitter)
In an unprecedented development, Delhi Capitals (DC) franchise co-owner GMR group is in advanced discussions with Hampshire County Cricket Club in the United Kingdom for investment and ownership of stakes in the club going forward.
Hampshire confirmed the investment talks after the Telegraph reported the GMR queried Rod Bransgrove about purchasing his share in the club's parent company.
Bransgrove, who is known for saving the club from insolvency back in 2000, stood down in his role as the club's chairperson last year.
However, he remains the chair and majority shareholder in the club's parent company, Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Ltd. GMR is interested in buying this shareholding right from Bransgrove in an effort to spread its wings in England.
Capitals To Own Hampshire Cricket Club?
According to The Telegraph report, Bransgrove is close to agreeing a deal to sell his shares to GMR Group, which co-owns the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) along with the JSW group.
The two companies also co-own Dubai Capitals in UAE-based International League T20 (ILT20) and hold a share in Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket in the USA.
"Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Ltd has made no secret of the fact that it has been investigating a number of investment options for some time now and, in the course of these investigations, the Company has engaged with a number of parties under conditions of confidentiality," a Hampshire spokesperson was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo.
"Whilst it is true that the Company is fully engaged in some detailed negotiations regarding investment, the nature and content of any such investigations are subject to formal Non-Disclosure Agreements which the Company is bound to observe."
"To date, we have concluded no formal binding agreements other than NDAs. We repeat, therefore, we can make no further comment about the status of our negotiations until such time as we have something to disclose," he added.
The discussions came to light after England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) officials had indicated a strong desire for private investment in English cricket and its county clubs, which have always fought for survival. The ECB is particularly keen on private investment in its venture, The Hundred.
 "Kashish Chadha")
