Hampshire is poised to become the first English cricket county to own a team abroad after the club’s parent company agreed to sell a majority stake to GMR Group, an infrastructure sector conglomerate based in India that owns teams in several 20-over leagues around the world, including the Delhi Capitals.
It is acknowledged that Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Ltd. will initially be owned by Gala Global Products Limited (GGPL), the parent firm of GMR Group, to the tune of 53 percent. According, a 100% acquisition is anticipated to occur in the upcoming years.
Rob Bransgrove, the former chairman of Hampshire, made the decision to sell a 60% ownership in the business. Bransgrove is anticipated to serve as Group Chairperson until September 30, 2026, with David Mann fulfilling the post of Group CEO.
In 2018, GMR awarded a 50% ownership stake to another Indian behemoth, JSW, in the Capitals team. In addition, GMR Group owns a share in Seattle Orcas in MLC and the Dubai Capitals of the ILT20.
Our goal is to use athletics as a medium to bridge cultural divides: Grandhi
In a formal declaration, the GMR Group’s corporate chairperson, Kiran Kumar Grandhi, outlined the organization’s main goals.
“With this acquisition and our holdings in the US, Dubai, and India, GMR is committed to interacting and building relationships with young people throughout the world. Our commitments are on value creation, financial responsibility, and developing young talent.
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Grandhi was reported as saying, “Our vision is to turn sports into a platform that brings people and cultures together, inspires global excellence, and fosters the development of future world champions.” GMR hosted Bransgrove and Mann during the ILT20, which took place in February of this year.