The Hundred ends as the football season starts and exhausted parents try to tough out the end of the summer holidays./weekend, the debate about the future continues. The first season since the ECB sold stakes of all eight teams to private owners generated £975m.

In a hot summer, crowds stagnated and ticket sales dropped just over 5% to 550,000 from 580,000. Despite the drop, demographics stayed the same: 22% juniors, 40% families and 28% female. The messaging remained positive.

The sixth edition is no longer a shiny new toy. Rebranding saw Northern Superchargers become Sunrisers Leeds, Oval Invincibles turn to MI London, and Manchester Originals become the Super Giants; other teams kept names. Attendance varied: Headingley and Old Trafford dropped, Southampton Utilita Bowl bounced back with 8,452 men’s tickets versus 12,549 in 2025. Cardiff Sophia Gardens set a record of 11,796 against MI London, and the derby Spirit vs MI London drew a record 27,721 for a group‑stage match. The Oval did not sell out: 10,271 women’s and 20,124 men’s tickets.

Director Vikram Banerjee said 2026 was better than last year and one of the best. Quality is second only to the IPL. Broadcasts, online audiences and social media are strong. New owners now handle marketing and pricing – prices rose at some grounds, with highs of £55 for adult tickets at The Oval; elsewhere tickets cost £20–£30, juniors £5. ECB chief executive Richard Gould believes the new ownership will improve allegiance, but attendances must improve. Weather is fine, the economy is not great, yet confidence in a strong position remains.