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The Hundred 2025


Voice of fair play said:
Well I thought it might be an idea to talk about the actual cricket and who has a chance of winning it like on other threads about cricket and cricket competitions
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Fair enough but it's obvious that the majority on this board can see beyond the one off gift and see the long term danger it poses for the future of cricket. Continuing falling gates and tv viewing indicate there's not a great appeal for the format. Thankfully the sale still hasn't been signed off - further proof that it's not the cricketing panacea some believe it is.
Ref #220
Enjoy it if you wish but be wary of the danger it poses if the sale goes through.
 
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Six of the eight deals confirmed and the first news to break is that the new investors are looking to remove it from the Sky/BBC bundle.

If you support this farce you are an enemy of English cricket.
 
Steak Pie said:
Six of the eight deals confirmed and the first news to break is that the new investors are looking to remove it from the Sky/BBC bundle.

If you support this farce you are an enemy of English cricket.
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I always felt the real threat was that it was bundled. So it was a potential Trojan horse that tied the ECB’s hands around its own TV deal, in particular for test cricket, which I remain convinced is 95% of the value at present. Unbundling it presumably means the ECB can do what it wants with test cricket as well. Which is surely better than the alternative.
 
Fleagle said:
I always felt the real threat was that it was bundled. So it was a potential Trojan horse that tied the ECB’s hands around its own TV deal, in particular for test cricket, which I remain convinced is 95% of the value at present. Unbundling it presumably means the ECB can do what it wants with test cricket as well. Which is surely better than the alternative.
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Apart from play international cricket during the five week 16.4 window, so the ECB has nothing to sell.
 
Steak Pie said:
Apart from play international cricket during the five week 16.4 window, so the ECB has nothing to sell.
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It has exactly what it has at the moment. Do you not agree that is the major part of the value of the contract? It’s the only reason I have Sky certainly. I’ve never watched a 100 game on there and all other English domestic cricket is free on YouTube anyway.
 
Nasser Butt-Head said:
This sale isn't good for cricket let alone English cricket.
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Maybe, I’ll reserve judgement on that. I suspect any money it does generate will be wasted putting off for another generation the underlying issue that the domestic structure is an unsustainable relic of the Edwardian amateur era. And when the money is spent, that problem will still be there. So it will fail in that sense.

But what is certainly true is that the reason that is given on here seems to change with the seasons.

First, we were assured it was never going to create any value.
Then, when the ECB suggested they thought it had created value and first mooted the auction process, their figures were fantasy.
Then, when rumours started in the press that bids were being talked about that exceeded even the ECB’s estimates, they were lying.
Then, when those bids were confirmed, the sales weren’t going to go through.
Then, when it looked like they might, the problem became that the tie in with the tv deal gave the investors too much control over the entire Crown Jewels.
Now, apparently, though for reasons that no one has explained coherently yet, the absence of such a tie in is going to be the problem.

You guys are consistent that the end of the world is nigh, you just don’t seem to be able to agree on what’s going to cause it.
 
Fleagle said:
It has exactly what it has at the moment. Do you not agree that is the major part of the value of the contract? It’s the only reason I have Sky certainly. I’ve never watched a 100 game on there and all other English domestic cricket is free on YouTube anyway.
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Part of the 16.4 deal is that it will be a dedicated window, the ECB (and therefore Sky/BBC) have nothing to sell during the summer.
Fleagle said:
Maybe, I’ll reserve judgement on that. I suspect any money it does generate will be wasted putting off for another generation the underlying issue that the domestic structure is an unsustainable relic of the Edwardian amateur era. And when the money is spent, that problem will still be there. So it will fail in that sense.

But what is certainly true is that the reason that is given on here seems to change with the seasons.

First, we were assured it was never going to create any value.
Then, when the ECB suggested they thought it had created value and first mooted the auction process, their figures were fantasy.
Then, when rumours started in the press that bids were being talked about that exceeded even the ECB’s estimates, they were lying.
Then, when those bids were confirmed, the sales weren’t going to go through.
Then, when it looked like they might, the problem became that the tie in with the tv deal gave the investors too much control over the entire Crown Jewels.
Now, apparently, though for reasons that no one has explained coherently yet, the absence of such a tie in is going to be the problem.

You guys are consistent that the end of the world is nigh, you just don’t seem to be able to agree on what’s going to cause it.
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Nope. Told you right from the start that this was a power grab to smash the counties. Check back if you like.
 
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We still don't know how this is going to affect any future TV deals. Obviously the franchise owners believe they can obtain lucrative TV deals and there's a limit how much TV companies will budget overall for cricket.
 
I will watching too having a couple of bets and enjoying the talent on show.

Much like I do with the IPL.

Only thing that frustrates me is they never made it a T20 tournament like everywhere else in the world.

It was a step too far to change it to 100 balls, but suspect and hope it will be changed to T20 in the future
Fleagle said:
Maybe, I’ll reserve judgement on that. I suspect any money it does generate will be wasted putting off for another generation the underlying issue that the domestic structure is an unsustainable relic of the Edwardian amateur era. And when the money is spent, that problem will still be there. So it will fail in that sense.

But what is certainly true is that the reason that is given on here seems to change with the seasons.

First, we were assured it was never going to create any value.
Then, when the ECB suggested they thought it had created value and first mooted the auction process, their figures were fantasy.
Then, when rumours started in the press that bids were being talked about that exceeded even the ECB’s estimates, they were lying.
Then, when those bids were confirmed, the sales weren’t going to go through.
Then, when it looked like they might, the problem became that the tie in with the tv deal gave the investors too much control over the entire Crown Jewels.
Now, apparently, though for reasons that no one has explained coherently yet, the absence of such a tie in is going to be the problem.

You guys are consistent that the end of the world is nigh, you just don’t seem to be able to agree on what’s going to cause it.
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The narrative has changed throughout.

No investors would be interested?

Until they were!

ECB had overestimated the value of the teams?

Until investors paid even more than expected!

The deal may not go through because of TV rights discussion?

Now they have!

Etc etc etc etc!!
Fleagle said:
Maybe, I’ll reserve judgement on that. I suspect any money it does generate will be wasted putting off for another generation the underlying issue that the domestic structure is an unsustainable relic of the Edwardian amateur era. And when the money is spent, that problem will still be there. So it will fail in that sense.

But what is certainly true is that the reason that is given on here seems to change with the seasons.

First, we were assured it was never going to create any value.
Then, when the ECB suggested they thought it had created value and first mooted the auction process, their figures were fantasy.
Then, when rumours started in the press that bids were being talked about that exceeded even the ECB’s estimates, they were lying.
Then, when those bids were confirmed, the sales weren’t going to go through.
Then, when it looked like they might, the problem became that the tie in with the tv deal gave the investors too much control over the entire Crown Jewels.
Now, apparently, though for reasons that no one has explained coherently yet, the absence of such a tie in is going to be the problem.

You guys are consistent that the end of the world is nigh, you just don’t seem to be able to agree on what’s going to cause it.
Click to expand...
The narrative has changed throughout.

No investors would be interested?

Until they were!

ECB had overestimated the value of the teams?

Until investors paid even more than expected!

The deal may not go through because of TV rights discussion?

Now they have!

Etc etc etc etc!!
 
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So what’s the outcome English Cricket when it comes to these sales?

The money will eventually run out.

There doesn’t seem to be much interest in expanding the league.

Viewing figures are falling.

Crowds are falling.

Participation is falling.

Cricket in this country might be getting a huge cash injection but does it count for anything if no one cares.
 
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