When you think of American sports, cricket probably isn’t the first one that comes to mind. While it is still gaining popularity stateside, it is only growing in popularity around the world. Last June, America co-hosted the Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup for the first time in history. Some of America’s wealthiest executives are investing in the sport and hoping to bring its global popularity to the United States.
Americans are investing in cricket more than ever now, especially with the new US professional league, Major League Cricket, in full swing since 2023. Several high-profile American executives have recently invested in cricket and are looking to grow its popularity in America.
London Spirit
The London Spirit is a cricket franchise founded in 2019 that is a part of The Hundred Cricket League in the United Kingdom. The franchise has both a men’s and a women’s squad and represents the countries of Middlesex, Essex, and Northamptonshire. Both teams play at the Lord’s Cricket Ground at St. John’s Wood in Westminster, London.
London Spirit is minority-owned by a group of American Silicon Valley executives. The group is led by the CEO of the cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks, Nikesh Arora. Earlier this year in February, investors were allowed to make bids on the eight Hundred cricket teams. Arora’s group purchased a 49% stake in London Spirit for £149 million after they valued the franchise at £285 million. In all, the eight Hundred cricket teams had a combined value of around £967 million.
Birmingham Phoenix
The Birmingham Phoenix are another cricket franchise that is a part of The Hundred cricket league. Like the London Spirit, the Phoenix were also founded in 2019. This franchise plays at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham, England and has both men’s and women’s teams.
This cricket team is also owned by a group of investors led by India’s richest family, the Ambanis, and the American asset management company Knighthead Capital. Knighthead is based in New York City and was founded in 2008 by Tom Wanger and Ara Cohen. The group paid approximately £40 million for the Birmingham Phoenix. Knighthead are already invested in the ownership of the Birmingham City F.C. football club.
Trent Rockets
The Trent Rockets are yet another team that is a part of The Hundred Cricket League in England. This team is based out of Nottingham and represents the counties of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire. The Trent Rockets were founded in 2019, and both the men’s and women’s teams play at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground in Nottinghamshire.
This cricket franchise is owned by Cain International, which is the London subsidiary of the American investment and asset management firm, Eldridge Industries. This makes the owner of that 49% stake in the Trent Rockets American businessman Todd Boehly. Boehly is one of the more famous owners of sports franchises in America.
He also owns stakes in the Chelsea Football Club and acts as the Chairman of the club. Boehly also owns a stake in the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers with whom he has been a part of two World Series-winning teams in 2020 and 2024. Finally, Boehly owns a significant stake in the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, and the French Ligue 1 club Strasbourg.
Welsh Fire
The Welsh Fire is another franchise in The Hundred Cricket League that is owned by American investors. This team is based in the city of Cardiff and represents the local counties of Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. Like the other The Hundred franchises, Welsh Fire were founded in 2019 and was one of the inaugural teams in the league. Both the men’s and women’s Welsh Fire teams play at the Cardiff Wales Stadium at Sophia Gardens.
In February 2025, a 50% stake in the Welsh Fire was acquired by American businessman Sanjay Govil for a price of £40 million, valuing the team at approximately £100 million. Govil is also the owner of the American cricket team based in Washington D.C. called the Washington Freedom. Competing with Govil for the Welsh Fire were the owners of the Wrexham Football Club, Rob McElhenny and celebrity actor Ryan Reynolds.
What is Major League Cricket?
Major League Cricket is the American professional cricket league that was established in 2018 but did not play its first season until 2023. It is a six-team league that features franchises in Washington D.C., Seattle, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Grand Prairie, Texas. The 2023 season was won by MI New York and the 2024 season was won by the Washington Freedom.
This cricket league also has some major names supporting it and investing in it. Headlined by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella who has invested in the league and is a part owner of the Seattle Orcas. Microsoft was founded in the Seattle area and remains headquartered there to this day. Other major names invested in Major League Cricket are the aforementioned Sanjay Govil, Ross Perot Jr., and American technology executive Sivaramakichenane Somasegar.
FAQs
In 2025, Todd Boehly acquired a 49% stake in the Trent Rocket cricket team. Boehly is an American businessman who owns stakes in multiple other professional sports franchises. These include the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Chelsea Football Club.
In February 2025, American tech executive Sanjay Govil acquired a 50% stake in the Welsh Fire for £40 million. Govil already owns the American-based Washington Freedom cricket team of Major League Cricket. He beat out Wrexham Football Club owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny for the stake in the Welsh Fire.
The Hundred is a professional cricket league based in England. It currently has eight franchises of both men’s and women’s teams. The league’s first edition was in 2021 and is the world’s only cricket league that uses the 100-ball format.
