Hampshire Cricket has made history by becoming the first English county cricket club to sign an acquisition agreement with an overseas owner. On Monday, the club announced that it had reached a deal with GMR Group, the owners of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals.
The acquisition agreement marks a significant milestone in the globalization of cricket ownership, with GMR set to acquire a majority stake in Hampshire.
The agreement, made with GMR’s parent company GGPL, will see a phased acquisition of Hampshire’s parent company, with an initial reduction of the club’s debt. The deal outlines that GGPL will initially take a majority stake in Hampshire, with a full 100% takeover expected within the next two years.
Rod Bransgrove, Chairman of Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Group, expressed his excitement about the partnership in an official statement: “This is the fulfilment of a dream for me and, I hope, for all Hampshire Cricket supporters.
After a thorough selection process, we chose GMR as our partners due to their shared values and commitment to our vision. We believe it is a perfect organisation, with the right people, to build on our proud legacy.”
The acquisition is seen as a major step for Hampshire, opening up new opportunities for the club as it becomes part of an international cricket network. “Becoming the first English cricket club to join an international cricket group will open exciting new opportunities as we embrace the globalization of this great sport,” Bransgrove added.
Hampshire’s leadership team will remain in place for the foreseeable future, with Bransgrove continuing as chairman until at least September 30, 2026, and David Mann continuing as CEO. The stability in leadership is expected to ensure a smooth transition and continuation of the club’s strategic direction.
GMR Group’s growing presence in international cricket is evident through its ownership of multiple teams across global leagues. In addition to owning Delhi Capitals in the IPL and Women’s Premier League (WPL), GMR also holds franchises in Dubai Capitals in the International League Twenty-20 (ILT20) and Pretoria Capitals in the South Africa Twenty20 (SA20) league.
