GMR Group has acquired a stake in Southern Brave, finalising the ECB’s equity distribution process for The Hundred. With this deal, Southern Brave becomes the fourth Hundred team with IPL-linked ownership, joining Northern Superchargers (Sun Group), Manchester Originals (RPSG Group), and Oval Invincibles (Reliance).
The group, which co-owns IPL franchise Delhi Capitals, had already secured majority ownership of Hampshire by purchasing Rod Bransgrove’s shares last year.
Meanwhile, the ECB’s goal of attracting diverse global investors has been realised through deals with Birmingham Phoenix (Knighthead Capital), Welsh Fire (Sanjay Govil), London Spirit (Silicon Valley consortium), and Trent Rockets (Cain International).
The GMR Group made history in September last year by acquiring Hampshire Cricket, marking the first instance of an international company taking ownership of a county cricket team. As first reported by TOI on September 18, the group, owned by Kiran Kumar Grandhi, initially secured a 49% stake in Hampshire Cricket County.
GMR entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Limited (HSLHL), the parent company of Hampshire Cricket, with the acquisition set to be completed in phases over the next 24 months.
The group has a strong presence in global cricket, having purchased the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) IPL franchise in 2008. Currently, GMR holds a 50% stake in Delhi Capitals (IPL and WPL), along with ownership of the Dubai Capitals (ILT20) and Pretoria Capitals (SA20).
Beyond cricket, GMR’s sports portfolio extends to franchises in the Pro Kabaddi League and Ultimate Kho Kho League. The group has also invested in the Seattle Orcas team in Major League Cricket (MLC), USA, further strengthening its footprint in international sports.
