Manchester United co-owner Avram Glazer buys a franchise in the new UAE T20 League - with businessman making his first venture into cricket after losing in the bidding war for the two new money-spinning IPL teams
* Manchester United co-owner Avram Glazer has made his first foray into cricket
* Glazer, 61, completed the purchase of a franchise in the new UAE T20 League
* He is in control of one of the six teams in the competition, which starts next year
* The move comes after the Glazer family lost out on the two new IPL franchises
Manchester United's co-owner Avram Glazer has bought a franchise in the newly formed T20 League in the United Arab Emirates.
Glazer, who also owns NFL Super Bowl winners Tampa Bay Buccaneers, completed the purchase in what is his first venture into cricket in his role as chairman of Lancer Capital, the private equity firm.
He is now in control of one of six franchises in the competition, which is set to take place in February and March next year.
Earlier this year, the Glazer family were unsuccessful in their attempt to buy one of the two new IPL franchises.
RPSG and CVC Capital won in the bidding war, with the money-spinning league expanding from eight to 10 members.
'I am very excited to be a part of UAE T20 at its formation,' Glazer, 61, said.
Manchester United's co-owner Avram Glazer has bought a franchise in the UAE T20 League. Glazer is now in control of one of six franchises in the competition, which will start next year. The Glazer family failed in their attempt to snap up one of the two new franchises in the IPL
'UAE T20 promises to be a world class event that will be transformative to the growth of cricket in the Emirates.'
Glazer has been co-chairman at United since 2005, when the much-maligned group took full control of the club.
Khalid Al Zarooni, the chairman of the UAE T20 League, said: '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 perspective is a testament to the strength of the UAE T20 League's business model and its value proposition to fans and its stakeholders, and an ode to the UAE as the destination of choice for global sports events.'
The Indian Premier League is set to expand from eight sides to 10 ahead of the 2022 season. RPSG - led by businessman Sanjiv Goenka - made a successful bid for the Lucknow-based side
The inaugural edition of the tournament, which has been sanctioned by the Emirates Cricket Board, will feature 34 matches across its two month span.
However, the names of the franchises are yet to be announced.
The UAE and Oman recently hosted the men's T20 World Cup, after it was moved away from India as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
And after a rise in Covid-19 cases among players in India, the UAE stepped in to host the second half of the IPL this year following its postponement.
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