CSK, MI, RR and other IPL teams have owned all six teams in CSA T20 Challenge

Following a months-long process, the six franchise owners for South Africa's T20 League have been confirmed. The open bid process, supervised by Deloitte Corporate Finance, drew over 29 firms interested in owning a franchise globally. Over ten franchise locations were made available to prospective bidders, and all ten got expressions of interest.

All six winning bidders have vast experience running franchises across different sports, as well as strong cricketing expertise gained via ownership of the Indian Premier League, the world's biggest T20 league.

The Cape Town franchise has been assigned to Reliance Industries Ltd., the owners of the Mumbai Indians, while the Johannesburg franchise has been secured by Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd., the parent company of the Chennai Super Kings. Lucknow Super Giants' RPSG Sports Pvt. Ltd. (Durban), Sunrisers Hyderabad's Sun TV Network (Gqeberha, previously Port Elizabeth), Rajasthan Royals' Royals Sports Group (Paarl), and Delhi Capitals' co-owners JSW Sports are the other owners (Pretoria).

Graeme Smith, Commissioner of the new league, commented on the selecting process:

“We are thrilled to welcome our new franchise owners to the South African League taking place in January and February 2023. This is truly an exciting time for South African cricket; the overwhelming interest shows that the country remains valued in the global cricketing eco-system.

“A robust bidding process was followed to select the final six owners, the decision was informed by a scorecard based on various criteria to ensure the utmost professionalism, independence, and objectivity to the process. I would like to thank Deloitte as our advisors for doing a thoroughly professional job in helping South African cricket find partners who add substantial value to our game. 

“The strong sports background of the respective owners and the global brands they manage ensures that South African cricket and the broader industry will benefit from their expertise and resources, as they bring stability and experience to the League.” 

Fans will have the opportunity to watch word class cricketers, catch a glimpse of the next generation and experience the action first-hand when the festival takes off early next year. “We have already contracted a number of leading international players who will be announced shortly.

Combined with our strong South African player base, fans and stakeholders can be assured that the new League will showcase exciting talent and skill,” Smith concluded.