• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Nominations Are Open for Front Office Sports Honors! Submit Now

Google, Microsoft CEOs Team Up in Attempt to Buy Cricket Team

Some of the tech industry’s biggest executives are teaming up to make a joint bid for a cricket team in the United Kingdom.

Sundar Pichai
USA TODAY

A group of Silicon Valley executives is hunting for an English cricket team.

Alphabet Inc.’s Sundar Pichai is part of a group of CEOs that includes Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Adobe’s Shantanu Narayen, Silver Laker’s Egon Durban, and Palo Alto Network’s Nikesh Arora, who is leading the group’s chase. The news was first reported by Bloomberg

The group is putting together a bid of more than $97 million for either the Oval Invincibles or London Spirits, according to Bloomberg, both of which play in The Hundred, an eight-team league in England and Wales that plays in the faster T100 format.

Nadella and Narayen previously invested in Major League Cricket, a six-team league in the United States that launched in 2023.

The Hundred launched in 2021 and has had more than two million people attend games in its short history. The Hundred also has a women’s league. Both leagues have combined to bring in revenue of roughly $73 million annually, from ticket sales, broadcast revenue, and sponsorships, according to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). 

In September, the ECB announced it was searching for additional investors to shore up its finances. The ECB is looking to sell the 49% stake it has in each team, with the option for majority ownership. The London Spirit, one of the group’s two targets, play at Lord’s, an iconic venue that dates back to the early 19th century.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Laney-Hamilton

WNBA Champion Missing Season Shows Risks and Kinks of Unrivaled

The Liberty have six weeks to make a decision on Betnijah Laney-Hamilton.
Jul 27, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Wrexham AFC midfielder Sebastian Revan (53) celebrates scoring against Vancouver Whitecaps FC during the first half at BC Place.

Invest in International Soccer Clubs at Your Own (Relegation) Risk

Relegation is more common in Europe than the U.S.
Mar 30, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (28) reacts after a fight against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter at Target Center. Stewart was later ejected from the game.

NBA Lightly Suspends Five Players for Timberwolves-Pistons Brawl

The brawl came in a game where 12 technical fouls were issued.
Caledonian Braves

The Scottish Soccer Club With 9,000 Owners—Including NBA and NWSL Players

The Braves’ popularity exploded in the last 10 months.

Featured Today

Mar 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the first half Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Creator Behind the LeBron ‘Glazing’ Trend Sweeping TikTok

FOS spoke to TikTok user OkaySpade who made the original song.
Seattle Kraken
April 1, 2025

Samantha Holloway Is Seattle’s NHL Present—and Hopeful NBA Future

Samantha Holloway is steering the Kraken and hoping to revive pro hoops.
Brehanna Daniels
March 31, 2025

NASCAR Pit Crew Member Brehanna Daniels Didn’t Know She’d Be a Trailblazer

The first Black female tire changer didn’t know she’d be a trailblazer.
Columbia, SC - February 16, 2025 - Colonial Life Arena: Rebecca Lobo and Ryan Ruocco during a regular season game.
March 30, 2025

Inside Ryan Ruocco’s Rapid Rise to ESPN’s Top Voice of Women’s Hoops

The top voice became “quickly addicted” to calling the women’s game.
Los Angeles Golf Club owners Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams cheer for their team against the New York Golf Club during the TGL semifinal match at SoFi Center on March 17, 2025, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
exclusive

Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian Bid on NFL Flag Football

Williams and Ohanian are the first known bidders for the flag football league.
Nov 10, 2024; Munich, Germany; The NFL shield logo at midfield during the 2024 NFL Munich Game at Allianz Arena.
April 1, 2025

NFL’s Global Ambitions Now Extend to Abu Dhabi

Three teams gain marketing rights to the United Arab Emirates.
April 1, 2025

Goodell, Owners Signal 18-Game NFL Season Is Coming—Eventually

The idea of a longer schedule ties into several other league initiatives.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton
March 31, 2025

Major Unrivaled Injury Hits WNBA

Betnijah Laney-Hamilton injured her meniscus at the new Miami league.
exclusive
March 31, 2025

NFL Considers Backers for Pro Flag Football Leagues Ahead of LA28

The 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles are seen as a likely watershed event.
Torpedo bat
March 31, 2025

Yankees Used the ‘Torpedo’ Bats Last Year

The bats are being widely adopted across baseball.
March 30, 2025

NFL Owners Face Big Decisions on 18th Game, Streaming, Rules

The league approaches its key offseason gathering with a sense of resurgent growth.