What has been the impact of new owners on The Hundred?

The Hundred cricket competition is undergoing a transformation following private investment, with several teams rebranding to forge stronger identities. Sunrisers, formerly the Northern Superchargers, are among those adopting new names and colors, illustrating the challenge of manufacturing tradition while creating a clear team image for new audiences.

Manchester Super Giants (MSG), rebranded from the Originals, achieved immediate success by winning the men's title. This victory came after RPSG group, led by Indian billionaire Sanjiv Goenka, acquired a 70% stake. Goenka's involvement aims to replicate the success seen in his Indian Premier League franchise, the Lucknow Super Giants.

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If you're trying to launch a new brand in a new market, in the UK particularly, in a city that is dominated by football, you've got to go big and loud.

Lancashire chief executive Daniel Gidney emphasized the need for bold rebranding in a market dominated by football. He highlighted the "extraordinarily different" strategy of giving away nearly 30,000 free shirts to Super Giants fans. This move prioritized building the MSG brand and attracting fans in team colors, even at the expense of a potentially lower initial kit deal.

Gidney noted that this approach could benefit Lancashire County Cricket Club by providing a "pilot" for learning and potentially integrating successful strategies into the T20 Blast competition. While MSG merchandise is not yet sold in the club shop, Lancashire has retained approximately 50% of its merchandise arrangements with the new franchise.

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To give everybody a free jersey who bought a ticket is extraordinarily different. You can't normally do it because a kit manufacturer will go, 'No, no, no. I've got to sell that kit for £60-80.' You never get anything for free. It's had a massive impact, much more than I thought.