Hampshire Hawks Join World’s First Global Franchise

The Hampshire Hawks have become part of the world’s first global and continental sports franchise by linking up with teams from other leading cricket nations.

Cricket club officials attended a meeting in London to discuss an agreement that will see the Rajasthan Royals of India, The Cape Cobras of South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago of the West Indies, the Cape Cobras and Victoria of  Australia bought together to form a super-franchise.

The deal will apply to the Twenty20 cricket leagues in the five countries and all of the teams taking part will now carry the ‘Royals’ suffix in their domestic Twenty20 competitions.

The teams will play each other in a series of matches, with the first tournament planned for England in July.
Current proposals are for the ‘Royals2020’ teams to compete in a round-robin section followed by a final in a tournament that would be spread over three days.

The deal includes the clubs wearing the same strip as Rajasthan for Twenty20 matches and players being allowed to move to other Royals teams if domestic rules allow.

Royals believe that by creating first global sporting franchise that they can seal sponsors and partners worldwide.

Shane Warne, Captain and Head Coach of Rajasthan Royals said ‘I am delighted to be part of this new innovation, and I am excited by what we can achieve, given what we have already achieved. Yet again, the Royals are leading the way. It is bonus that clubs with which I have such deep affection are so involved.’

There are also proposals for teams from New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to join the Royals 2020 once the event was established.