30 Sep Franchise owners for the South African T20 League confirmed
Development plan and growth key criteria for bidder selection.
Wednesday, 19 July, Johannesburg – The six franchise owners for South Africa’s T20 League have been confirmed following a rigorous process over the past few months. The open bid process, managed by Deloitte Corporate Finance, attracted over 29 entities who expressed interest in owning a franchise worldwide. Over 10 venues were made available for interested bidders to own a franchise and all 10 of them received expressions of interest.
The six successful bidders who will be part of this significant chapter of South African cricket are:
Venue, City & Successful Bidder
1. Newlands, Cape Town – Rise Worldwide Limited, a Reliance Industries Limited group Company, owners of Mumbai Indians
2. Kingsmead, Durban – RPSG Sports Private Limited, owners of Lucknow Super Giants
3. St George’s Park, Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) – Sun TV Network Limited, owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad
4. Wanderers, Johannesburg – Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited, owners of Chennai Super Kings
5. Boland Park, Paarl – Royals Sports Group, owners of Rajasthan Royals
6. SuperSport Park, Pretoria – JSW Sports, owners of Delhi Capitals
All six successful bidders have extensive experience in operating franchises across multiple sports and deep cricketing expertise through their ownership in the world’s leading T20 tournament, the Indian Premier League.
Commenting on the selection process, the Commissioner for the new league, Graeme Smith said:
“We are thrilled to welcome our new franchise owners to the South African League taking place in January and February 2023. This is truly an exciting time for South African cricket; the overwhelming interest shows that the country remains valued in the global cricketing eco-system.
“A robust bidding process was followed to select the final six owners, the decision was informed by a scorecard based on various criteria to ensure the outmost professionalism, independence, and objectivity to the process. I would like to thank Deloitte as our advisors for doing a thoroughly professional job in helping South African cricket find partners who add substantial value to our game.
“The strong sports background of the respective owners and the global brands they manage ensures that South African cricket and the broader industry will benefit from their expertise and resources, as they bring stability and experience to the League.”
Fans will have the opportunity to watch word class cricketers, catch a glimpse of the next generation and experience the action first-hand when the festival takes off early next year. “We have already contracted a number of leading international players who will be announced shortly. Combined with our strong South African player base, fans and stakeholders can be assured that the new League will showcase exciting talent and skill,” Smith concluded.
ENDS
FAQs
Why are there no South African owners for a South African League?
We were very fortunate to have many several bids including some from within South Africa.
Bidders were objectively assessed across a number of different factors. Obviously, a
significant factor was the overall commercial nature of the bids. The Board acting on the
recommendations of its advisors, selected the most appropriate bidders.
Some owners of the T20GL have said they were promised first right of refusal for this league, is that the case?
We are clear on our position and this league is a new beginning.
How will you ensure you keep the South African flavour with such a strong Indian influence?
The overwhelming majority of players in each team will be South African and this will be a collaborative approach between the league and the owners. These franchise owners all love and support the game of cricket and have built global brands both inside and outside of India. They understand that success includes the importance of appealing to the local market and local fans.
1. Team owners will work with the venues and league to drive fan engagement through localised strategies and increased marketing investments
2. Team owners will drive interest, participation and the development of future stars by supporting development and grassroots programmes and through the launch of the new league
3. We will leverage existing IPL team brands to benefit all parties ensuring continued global expansion for team owners, new audiences for the league and team owners and a strong, competitive and sustainable league with stature on the global stage.
How did you select the six stadia?
Potential bidders were given the opportunity to select and bid for venues of their choice.
What happens to the other Unions who will not be hosting matches?
CSA as a whole will benefit financially from this league and that funding will positively impact all of its members and the development of the sport locally
What is the name of the new league?
Now that the franchise owners and the league commissioner are in place, attention will turn to the launch plans for the league. Further details will be made available in due course.
What are the cricket development plans?
Each successful bidder submitted comprehensive plans to assist cricket development in South Africa. The league commissioner will work with all the franchisees to mature these plans and provide details in due course.