Lalit Modi Criticizes ECB's Financial Projections for The Hundred
Lalit Modi, the architect of the highly successful Indian Premier League, has labeled the England and Wales Cricket Board's financial projections for its initiative The Hundred as largely unrealistic and disconnected from reality. Modi expressed skepticism about The Hundred ever achieving the international audience that the IPL has garnered.
The ECB is reportedly seeking investment from wealthy Indian investors, particularly IPL team owners with interests in other global leagues. However, Modi's analysis indicates that the franchises of The Hundred are unlikely to be valued between 5 million and 25 million GBP, let alone reach a valuation of 1 billion USD. He highlighted that the ECB's financial forecasts for The Hundred, especially post-2026, seem overly optimistic and out of touch, particularly in light of competition from other cricket leagues like the IPL.
Modi stated that while an increase in domestic TV rights from 54 million GBP to 85 million GBP is plausible, expectations for sustained sponsorship growth into 2029-30 appear overly ambitious. He explained that the IPL's revenue generation, which includes media rights valued at 6.2 billion USD, is the result of 16 years of consistent growth, setting a high benchmark that The Hundred is unlikely to meet.
In his assessment, Modi predicted that The Hundred's teams might only be worth between 5 million and 25 million GBP, with Manchester potentially maxing out at 8.5 million GBP. He further noted that The Hundred struggles to match the revenue generated by the Caribbean Premier League, casting doubt on its financial sustainability and long-term viability.
