Manchester United owners buy team in UAE T20 League

The first edition of the tournament will be held next year

Lancer Capital has made its first foray into cricket by acquiring a franchise in the UAE T20 League.

Avie Glazer, the Chairman of Lancer Capital, is an owner of the Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Glazer has also been the Co-Chairman of Manchester United since 2005. Manchester United have won more trophies than any other club in English football.

Khalid Al Zarooni, UAE T20 League Chairman and Vice Chairman Emirates Cricket Board, hailed Glazer’s investment in the UAE T20 League.

“I am very excited to welcome Mr. Glazer to the UAE T20 Family! To have a partner who has invested into sports properties with a long-term investment perspective is a testament to the strength of the UAE T20 League’s Business Model and its value proposition to its stakeholders and an ode to the UAE as the destination of choice for global sports events,” Al Zarooni said.

Meanwhile, Avram Glazer, Chairman of Lancer Capital LLC, said: “I am very excited to be a part of UAE T20 at its formation. UAE T20 promises to be a world-class event that will be transformative to the growth of cricket in the Emirates.”

The UAE T20 League is a professional franchise-based T20 cricket tournament with six franchise teams competing in a 34-match event.

The first edition of the tournament will be held next year.

“We are extremely pleased that a legendary sports owner like Avie Glazer has chosen to partner with the UAE T20 League,” said Mubashshir Usmani, General Secretary Emirates Cricket Board.

“This is a resounding thumbs up to the unique opportunity that the UAE T20 league offers to experienced and established sports business owners. Our partnership with Lancer Capital will enable us to combine fans of the two widely followed sports – football and cricket.”

Earlier, the Emirates Cricket Board announced that the Reliance Industries Limited, through its subsidiary Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Ltd (RSBVL), would be acquiring the rights to own and operate a new franchise cricket team in the UAE T20 League.

RIL’s Mumbai Indians are amongst the eight founding members of the IPL and over the years has evolved as the most successful cricket clubs both on and off the field.