A new era for Manchester Originals
The Manchester Originals are set for a major rebrand, with the franchise to incorporate “Super Giants” into its name from future seasons of The Hundred. The move is part of a wider strategy by owner Sanjiv Goenka to align the team with his other cricket properties — the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL and Durban Super Giants in South Africa’s SA20.
In an exclusive interview with BBC Sport, Goenka confirmed, “You will see a name change, and we will definitely bring in the Super Giants into this.” He added, “That is something that we’re trying to integrate, Super Giants into all our franchises.”
While the final naming is yet to be revealed, options under consideration include Manchester Super Giants or Manchester Originals Super Giants. Goenka indicated the change could come as early as October, with the team’s black kit and identity also potentially set for a revamp to match his global colour palette.
Building cross-franchise connections
Goenka’s multi-team ownership model has already created overlap in playing personnel, with Originals stars Jos Buttler and Heinrich Klaasen also part of his Durban roster.
“We would definitely want that but with the IPL it’s an auction system and therefore it’s not always the simplest thing to do,” he acknowledged. “[However], we would definitely strive towards that because it brings a greater bonding, it brings a greater continuity, it brings a greater understanding.”
Big investment, bigger expectations
RPSG Group paid £80 million for a 70% stake in Manchester Originals — one of eight Hundred teams to be privatised by the ECB. Goenka sees overseas broadcast rights as a key revenue driver, pointing to his IPL experience as proof that long-term growth is possible.
“When I invested $900m to buy an IPL team, the entire world thought I was mad,” he recalled. “In the space of three and a half years, [it] is probably worth $1.5bn. The IPL is a league like no other but The Hundred…can only grow and we do believe that it will grow hugely.”
For Goenka, success is rooted in creating connections with fans: “It’s about building an emotional connection with not only the sport, but the format and more importantly the team. It doesn’t happen overnight. The IPL has taken 18 years to reach where it is.”
Raising the standard on the field
Goenka said the level of talent in The Hundred was “better than I had anticipated” but believes there’s scope for more elite players to participate. “Can we get other higher quality players of international standard to come and play here? We surely can.”
On the women’s side of the competition, he praised its launch but stressed the need for improvement: “There is a lot that needs to be done to bring up the standard, but it’s a great start.”
While some investors have floated the idea of switching The Hundred to a T20 format, Goenka is content with its distinct identity: “I’m frankly enjoying this format. I’m much more familiar, over a longer period of time with the T20…but the more I see this, the more I like it.”
Partnerships and local development
RPSG acquired Manchester Originals after missing out on the London Spirit to a California-based tech consortium. Reflecting on the process, Goenka said, “You’re never happy not to win any bid, but am I happy with the outcome, the way it’s gone for us? I’m very happy with it.”
He emphasised the importance of the team’s partnership with Lancashire County Cricket Club: “The very fact that we are partners with Lancashire, it’s a responsibility. It’s something that we are cognisant of and it’s something that we will do our best to deliver on.”
The long-term vision is clear: “The ownership is separate but I think the interests are common. We would like to work with Lancashire to see what we can do to develop cricket here. Until that happens, the Manchester Originals as a franchise will not grow significantly.”
That includes producing more England internationals from the region: “And what can we do, say, in five years, seven years, to have a bulk of the national team in England coming out of Manchester? So like today, you have a Jos Buttler or Phil Salt or a Josh Tongue. How could we get more and more players from here developing their competencies to the level where they are called [up] for national duty?”
Player availability and the global calendar
Concerns about player workload have persisted as leagues and international fixtures clash. Goenka does not see The Hundred as the cause: “I don’t think The Hundred creates issues for the other formats.”
He views congested scheduling as a reality of modern cricket: “I think the cricket calendar is such that every league is back-to-back, that’s the way this game goes. I think players need to be fit enough to take that pressure.”
His advice to players is direct: “If the players believe they cannot do justice to a format, then they should not make themselves available.”
