The Hundred - statistics & facts
As a rule of thumb in cricket, the shorter the format, the more controversy it is likely to cause. The Hundred, a 100-ball franchise tournament run by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), is no exception. Since its inaugural season in 2021, the competition has divided opinion. The competition’s supporters argue that the shorter match times have the capacity to make it more exciting, thus broadening the sport’s fan base. Its detractors, meanwhile, see it as a superfluous addition to an already saturated market. After all, professional cricket already has three established and distinct formats: test, one day internationals, and T20.
Regardless of the discourse surrounding The Hundred, the ECB has been clear in its intentions for the competition. The Board has put minority shares of the eight competing franchises up for sale and has reportedly already turned down bids of hundreds of millions of British pounds, deeming them short of the mark. Proceeds from any potential sale would in part be reinvested into growing and developing cricket in England and Wales. This would add to the tens of millions of British pounds already reinvested annually from the broadcasting revenue the ECB receives from major media corporations such as Sky Sports and the BBC.
In the women’s competition, the Oval Invincibles also found initial success, claiming successive titles in 2021 and 2022. However, the Invincibles have since not lived up to their name, with the Southern Brave and London Spirit lifting the trophy in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Although the metrics on attendance and viewership in 2024 do not paint an optimistic picture for the competition, digital engagement during The Hundred offer some signs of hope, with the number of video views relating to the tournament more than doubling between 2023 and 2024. Furthermore, the ECB and Sky Sports extended their TV rights deal in 2024 for a further four years, providing the competition with a secure platform from which to grow. However, with the recent news of the ECB pushing ahead with changing The Hundred to a T20 format but keeping the competition’s name, there is the risk of further complicating a sport The Hundred was meant to simplify.
Regardless of the discourse surrounding The Hundred, the ECB has been clear in its intentions for the competition. The Board has put minority shares of the eight competing franchises up for sale and has reportedly already turned down bids of hundreds of millions of British pounds, deeming them short of the mark. Proceeds from any potential sale would in part be reinvested into growing and developing cricket in England and Wales. This would add to the tens of millions of British pounds already reinvested annually from the broadcasting revenue the ECB receives from major media corporations such as Sky Sports and the BBC.
Who are the best players competing in The Hundred?
Despite facing stiff competition in attracting the best cricketing talent from around the world, The Hundred has its fair share of white-ball superstars. These include Harry Brook, Adam Zampa, and Phil Salt. The latter held the record for the most all-time runs scored in The Men’s Hundred, before being supplanted by James Vince in 2024, who enjoyed a prolific season with the Southern Brave. Despite Vince’s exploits with the bat, the Brave stumbled at the final hurdle in the 2024 tournament, with the Oval Invincibles securing back-to-back titles.In the women’s competition, the Oval Invincibles also found initial success, claiming successive titles in 2021 and 2022. However, the Invincibles have since not lived up to their name, with the Southern Brave and London Spirit lifting the trophy in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
How many people watch The Hundred?
Many of the games at The Hundred take place as double-headers, with tickets providing fans access to both the men’s and women’s games. While the number of attendees at women’s games has gradually increased year-over-year since 2021, the total attendance at The Hundred dropped in 2024 from the previous year to 520,000. Viewership has also struggled to grow, with the average TV audience of The Hundred falling noticeably in 2024. However, this may have been a result of the competition’s schedule clashing with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.Although the metrics on attendance and viewership in 2024 do not paint an optimistic picture for the competition, digital engagement during The Hundred offer some signs of hope, with the number of video views relating to the tournament more than doubling between 2023 and 2024. Furthermore, the ECB and Sky Sports extended their TV rights deal in 2024 for a further four years, providing the competition with a secure platform from which to grow. However, with the recent news of the ECB pushing ahead with changing The Hundred to a T20 format but keeping the competition’s name, there is the risk of further complicating a sport The Hundred was meant to simplify.
