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Tag: UAE T20 League

  • Knight Riders Group acquires Abu Dhabi franchise in UAE T20 League

    Knight Riders Group acquires Abu Dhabi franchise in UAE T20 League

    Mumbai: UAE’s T20 League has announced that Knight Riders Group has acquired the rights to own and operate the Abu Dhabi franchise and will set up Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ADKR) as a part of the UAE’s flagship T20 league.

    After establishing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2008 in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Knight Riders became owners of the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in 2015. Recently, the Knight Riders Group made an investment in Major League Cricket (MLC) in the US and intends to set up a franchise in the greater Los Angeles area.

    This investment by the Knight Riders Group, which is led by Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, along with Juhi Chawla & her husband Jay Mehta, will establish their fourth T20 franchise around the world in IPL, CPL, MLC and now in UAE’s T20 league.

    Khan said, “For several years now, we have been expanding the Knight Riders brand globally and closely watching the potential for T20 cricket in the UAE. We are excited about becoming part of UAE’s T20 League, which no doubt will become hugely successful.”

    “The commitment to grow the T20 format and the expertise gathered by the Knight Riders Group, through their involvement in franchise cricket across the world, is undisputed,” commented UAE’s T20 League chairman Khalid Al Zarooni. “We are exceptionally pleased with their foresight to join forces with the UAE’s T20 League and firmly believe it will elevate the reputation, and professionalism of the League throughout the cricket community.”

    “We are pleased with the association of the Knight Riders Group with the League as a franchise team owner, we are very confident that this association will be mutually beneficial for both Knight Riders brand and the League,” said Emirates Cricket Board general secretary Mubashshir Usmani. “UAE’s T20 League will attract some of the biggest names in world cricket while also giving a platform and international exposure to local and upcoming players.”

    “We feel fortunate to have been consistently recognised as a global brand in T20 cricket,” stated KKR, Red Chillies Entertainment CEO Venky Mysore. “As T20 cricket expands around the world, we are flattered by the regular invitations to play a major role in growing the sport across the world. We have had a keen interest in the developments in the UAE and our expansion is consistent with our long-term strategy.”

  • Capri Global acquires franchise in UAE’s T20 League

    Capri Global acquires franchise in UAE’s T20 League

    Mumbai: Capri Global Group on Wednesday announced that it has acquired a franchise in UAE’s T20 league.

    Promoted by first-generation entrepreneur Rajesh Sharma, Capri Global has varied interests across sectors including key ventures such as a non-banking financial company, stressed assets fund and sports venture. Its subsidiary Capri Global Capital is a non-deposit-taking systemically important non-banking financial company with a $ one billion+ market cap, said the statement.

    Capri Global Capital managing director Rajesh Sharma said the foray into sports franchising allows the company to leverage on the passion that the Indian audience has for cricket. “We see great synergy coming through this alliance, including a host of exciting moments that are set to elevate the cricketing experience for our Indian audience at the global platform. We believe that the land of opportunity through its sports IP has created an image that accurately depicts what represents the UAE,” he added.

    “To have a partner who is acknowledged as one of India’s leading investment bankers, buying into the UAE’s T20 vision and investing into sports properties with a long-term investment perspective is a testament to the strength of UAE’s T20 League’s Business Model and its value proposition to its stakeholders and an ode to the UAE as the destination of choice for global sports events,” commented Emirates Cricket Board vice chairman and UAE T20 League chairman Khalid Al Zarooni.

    “We are extremely pleased that a legendary investment professional like Rajesh Sharma has chosen to partner with the UAE’s T20 League. This is a resounding thumbs up to the unique opportunity that UAE’s T20 league offers,” added Emirates Cricket Board general secretary Mubashshir Usmani.

  • Lancer Capital acquires franchise in UAE T20 League

    Lancer Capital acquires franchise in UAE T20 League

    Mumbai: Lancer Capital, a financial institution serving the blockchain industry, has made its first foray into cricket by acquiring a franchise in the UAE League.

    Lancer Capital, headed by English football club Manchester United’s co-chairman Avram Glazer, has investments in a variety of best-in-class assets. He is also the owner of the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said the statement.

    Welcoming Lancer Capital on board, UAE T20 League chairman and Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni said, “To have a partner who has invested into sports properties with a long term investment perspective is a testament to the strength of the UAE T20 League’s business model and its value proposition to its stakeholders and an ode to the UAE as the destination of choice for global sports events.”

    “I am very excited to be a part of UAE T20 at its formation,” stated Lancer Capital LLC chairman Avram Glazer. “UAE T20 promises to be a world-class event that will be transformative to the growth of cricket in the Emirates.”

    “We are extremely pleased that a legendary sports owner like Avie Glazer has chosen to partner with the UAE T20 League,” said Emirates Cricket Board general-secretary Mubashshir Usmani. “Our partnership with Lancer Capital will enable us to combine fans of the two widely followed sports – football and cricket – in a never done before manner.”

  • Zeel acquires media rights for Emirates Cricket Board’s UAE T20 League

    Zeel acquires media rights for Emirates Cricket Board’s UAE T20 League

    Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) has signed a 10-year media rights deal with Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) for their upcoming UAE T20 League. The broadcaster makes its return into sports broadcasting after its non-compete agreement with Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India expired.

    The deal is estimated to be worth $100-120 million and the broadcaster will air the tournament on TV and OTT platforms, according to a report by ET.

    Zeel had sold its sports broadcasting business under the brand Ten Sports to Sony in 2017 and signed a five-year non-compete. Zeel and SPN are in the process of finalising a merger that may result in the creation of the largest M&E entity in the country with an estimated $ two billion in revenues.

    At the APOS India summit, Zeel managing director and chief executive officer Punit Goenka had said, “A lot has changed since we exited the sports business. Now, it is coming full circle is the way I’d like to call it. I believe the opportunity is great because the digital landscape has opened up a new opportunity for monetisation which did not exist five years ago. Sports will become an area of focus for the merged entity.”