Rebel League Threat Looms Over English Cricket

English county cricket is facing a potential takeover threat from private investors and rebel leagues, warned Lalit Modi, the founder of the Indian Premier League. The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is currently reviewing the state of county cricket amidst a debate over the future of Twenty20 cricket in the country. Modi's warning comes as the ECB prepares to relaunch the Twenty20 competition in 2017, with some counties lobbying to have it played in the school summer holidays to boost ticket sales.

Key Takeaways:

• The ECB is reviewing the state of county cricket, with a focus on relaunching the Twenty20 competition in 2017.
• Private investors and rebel leagues, such as the Essel Group, owned by billionaire Subhash Chandra, are eyeing English county cricket as a potential target for takeover.
• Lalit Modi warns that the ECB's 18 counties are vulnerable to being "picketed off one by one" by private investors offering guaranteed annual payments.
• Pre-tournament ticket sales for the 2015 Natwest T20 Blast are 42% up on last year, but vary widely between counties.
• Tickets are selling better at smaller counties, such as Essex (1,228 sales) and Somerset (10,578 sales), than at Test grounds like Lancashire (5,152 sales) and Warwickshire (9,881 sales).
• The ECB is facing a conundrum in finding a competition format that suits all 18 counties.

Statistics:

• 42% increase in pre-tournament ticket sales for the 2015 Natwest T20 Blast compared to last year.
• £1,228: Number of tickets sold by Essex.
• £10,578: Number of tickets sold by Somerset.
• £5,152: Number of tickets sold by Lancashire.
• £9,881: Number of tickets sold by Warwickshire.

Sources:

• Telgraph Sport, Nik Hoult, "English cricket is the most vulnerable to take over by a rebel league, says Lalit Modi", 2015.
• Cricket website, "ECB Reviewing State of County Cricket Amidst Twenty20 Debate", 2015.
• Natwest T20 Blast website, "Ticket Sales 2015", 2015.