Cricket has always been an enthralling game for people all around the world and with time the shortest format has become very popular among fans.
Over the years, franchise cricket has been the most successful aspect of the sport in terms of attracting viewers, sponsors, gate revenue, and so on. It’s been a positive step for everyone involved in the game, from players to fans, sponsors to owners, everyone has benefitted extensively.
The popularity has grown so immensely that the owners of the Indian Premier League (IPL) teams have now looked to expand their brand across the globe as well. Not just these, several Indian businesses/organizations have also invested heavily into acquiring a franchise in foreign cricket leagues. Below is the list of owners who have expanded their brand and have bagged ownership of cricket franchises outside India.
The Knight Riders Group:
The Knight Riders Group, which is co-owned by Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and her husband Jay Mehta, have acquired cricket franchises in different parts of the globe. With a goal to expand the ‘Knight Riders’ brand globally, they have bought teams in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Major League Cricket (MLC) and recently in the UAE T20 League. The names of the franchises are Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Los Angeles Knight Riders and Trinbago Knight Riders.
Punjab Kings:
The franchise which is owned by Mohit Burman, Ness Wadia, Preity Zinta and Karan Paul has also spread their business in CPL as they purchased the rights for Saint Lucia in 2021. The team was first named Saint Lucia Stars and Saint Lucia Zouks before getting changed to Saint Lucia Kings.
Rajasthan Royals:
The owners of the Jaipur-based team, Rajasthan Royals, Manoj Badale and Lachlan Murdoch bought a majority share in the CPL team, Barbados Tridents. The franchise was later labelled as Barbados Royals.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL):
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has also announced that it acquired the rights to a new franchise cricket team in the upcoming UAE T20 League. Reliance already owns Mumbai Indians and this new acquisition will be their first overseas expansion in terms of cricket operations.
Adani Group:
Adani Sportsline, a subsidiary of the Adani Group, has made a historic foray into franchise cricket by acquiring the rights to own and manage a team in the 34-match event, UAE T20 League.
Capri Global:
After becoming the sponsor of Gujarat Titans (GT), the Indian investment group, Capri Global, has taken a major leap by acquiring a franchise in the UAE T20 league.
GMR Group:
An Indian infrastructure firm, GMR Group has also bought the rights to own and manage the Dubai franchise in the UAE-based T20 league. Moreover, the company is also a joint owner of the IPL team, Delhi Capitals.