Lalit Modi Predicts This Franchise League To "Die In Three-Four Years". Not Pakistan Super League
The upcoming season of The Hundred will feature four IPL-backed teams - Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds.
- Lalit Modi has raised doubts over the long-term future of England's flagship T20 franchise league, The Hundred
- He predicted that the tournament could cease to exist within 3 to 4 years, citing flaws in revebue model
- "The Hundred will die in three years - I guarantee it. It won't survive beyond three or four years," he said
Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has raised doubts over the long-term future of England's flagship T20 franchise league, The Hundred. Speaking on The Overlap Cricket podcast, Lalit Modi predicted that the tournament could cease to exist within three to four years, citing flaws in its current commercial structure. The 62-year-old argued that The Hundred relies heavily on an advertisement-driven revenue model, which he believes is ill-suited to the UK market - a landscape he says is better sustained by subscription-based revenue.
Lalit Modi also noted that The Hundred's official broadcasters have not invested significantly in branding and marketing, citing limited returns from the market.
"The Hundred will die in three years - I guarantee it. It won't survive beyond three or four years. The only reason money is being pumped into it right now is because it has no long-term future. It has just one advantage: the August window, which is a prime period. Beyond that, there is no clear vision. There is virtually no promotion or marketing behind the tournament. The broadcaster has no incentive to promote it, there is no money flowing back into the game, and ultimately, team owners will look for returns on their investment. That return can only come through media rights - nothing else," Lalit Modi said.
He added: "The UK is not an advertisement-driven market. It is the strongest subscription-based market in the world. For any league to succeed, you need a sustainable subscriber base."
Meanwhile, the first-ever Hundred auction was held earlier this year, with several uncapped English players sparking bidding wars among franchises.
James Coles emerged as the most expensive signing after being picked up by London Spirit for GBP 390,000 (approximately Rs 4.81 crore). Jordon Cox, the MVP of the previous season, was snapped up by Welsh Fire for GBP 300,000 (around Rs 3.69 crore).
The upcoming season of The Hundred will feature four IPL-backed teams - Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds.