The 100 from England.  As of now, there is no other T20 league apart from the Indian Premier League (IPL) that has received attention from investors, including owners of IPL teams and tech entrepreneurs. So, the question is whether the 100 can overwrite the IPL? Or is there a vision for the 100 to outperform the IPL as the king of T20 leagues?  Let’s find out more about this new league and how it plans to make a difference in the cricket world.

The Birth of the 100: A Response to the IPL Model

 After the success of the IPL, the cricket associations of other countries realized that T20 leagues are money spinners. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has now become the king of cricket financially and exercises a good deal of influence beyond the IPL into the ICC. While India reaps the fruits of having a strong cricketing system, other nations’ boards have been quick to come up with their own versions of the IPL.

Cricket, the royal game, had been rather sluggish in this regard.  In 2021, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) introduced The Hundred, a new format of the game that was to compete with the existing T20 leagues. The object was to produce a faster, more exciting form of cricket that could appeal to the modern audience and might even be more engaging than the current T20 format.

What Makes The 100 So Special? 

The 100 has one of the most unique rules of any cricket league. While T20 leagues allow each bowler to bowl maximum 4 overs (24 balls), The Hundred introduces a new way where a bowler can bowl maximum 20 balls. The only change is that a bowler can roll the ball more than 10 consecutive times. This setup is with the aim of making the game faster paced and with more opportunities for scoring.

The change in the strategic planning of the teams with regard to bowling and batting is with an aim of increasing the entertainment value of the game. The rules of the game have been set in a way that batsmen have to focus on hitting sixes and fours only because the game is designed in a way that there are more opportunities to score. In the first 25 balls only two players are left in the first circle which increases the chances of high scores. The idea is to maintain the momentum which has been one of the major reasons for the T20’s international popularity.

Financial Investments and Stake holding in the 100 

The 100 was launched as a small league with limited reach but has since received a lot of money. The ECB has been successful in bringing in investors, some of whom are IPL team owners, and businesspeople. The financial model of The Hundred is also different from that of the IPL franchises. While the IPL teams are completely owned, the owners of the Hundred teams are the ECB. This is an important distinction as it enables the ECB to keep a firm grip on the league.

Maintaining control by the board in the focus of the league makes it look more stable and long term. However, the financial model also enables investors to benefit from the growth of the league. The 100 ball game means that a match can be finished in just 2.5 hours, meaning that more games can be fit into a day. This increases the number of games that can be broadcast, and hence increase revenue from advertising and sponsorships, while the shortening of the format will help fans watch more games at once.

Inclusivity: Marketing Both Men’s and Women’s Cricket 

The 100 has one of the strongest features of both men’s and women’s cricket promotion. The concept of having two leagues for both the sexes is an approach that the 100 has adopted which is quite different from other cricket leagues around the world where women’s cricket is not well catered for. Both the male and female players will be given a platform to exhibit their talents and both of them will get exposure on the same stage. This inclusivity is predicted to attract more people and boost participation.

In this manner, The Hundred seeks to enhance the women’s cricket, like the IPL did for the Indian women’s cricket team. It is hoped that both men and women will be given equal chances and stage to perform.  Attracting Global Viewership:  Can The 100 Compete with IPL?  Despite the fact that the 100 has a good financial and regulatory structure, there is one major flaw, and that is the lack of big names.  The IPL has been able to garner so many fans because of the icons like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni. These players hold a huge fan base and their inclusion boosts the league’s viewership.

The Hundred, however, may not be able to recruit such prominent Indian players as the BCCI does not permit Indian cricketers to play in foreign leagues other than the IPL. Therefore, the 100 is not likely to have players like Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma on its teams. absence of these big names can be a setback to the league especially in cricketing nations like India where the IPL is king.  However, there is a change in the audience behaviour that the 100 can benefit from.

For instance, the T20 format in India has shown that the game, the six and fours, can captivate the audience even if there are no big names. It has been seen that Indian fans are willing to watch domestic T20 leagues even if the players are not well-known. This may be a good omen for The Hundred, which may find its own fans even if it does not have the traditional big names.

The Future of the 100: Can It Rival IPL? 

Although the IPL is still the number one T20 league in the world, The Hundred has laid a good foundation to challenge it in the future. The Hundred has the potential to grow and get a large fan base due to the innovative rules, increased investment, and emphasis on men’s and women’s cricket. However, the absence of star power and the difficulty of attracting international cricketing icons will continue to be a major issue.

To the business owners and investors, the growth of cricket leagues like the 100 is a proof that sports can be a good source of revenue and growth. Therefore, it is possible to combine business and sports and reveal the future of global cricket by leagues like The Hundred. 

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and are solely based on the current state of the cricket world and not meant to be financial or investment advice. It is recommended that readers do their own research before making any decisions regarding their funds or cricket leagues.