Manchester United's co-chairman Avram Glazer has finally got his hands on a cricket team after acquiring a franchise in the new UAE T-20 League.
After failing in an attempt to buy a new Indian Premier League Team in October, Glazer has now led an acquisition as chairman of Lancer Capital to own one of the six teams which will compete in the UAE's new league, which is set to take place in February and March 2022.
It's a venture into a new sport for Glazer, who has been co-chairman of United since 2005 and is also an owner of the reigning NFL Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I am very excited to be a part of UAE T20 at its formation," Glazer said.
"UAE T20 promises to be a world class event that will be transformative to the growth of cricket in the Emirates.”
Khalid Al Zarooni, UAE T20 League Chairman and Vice Chairman Emirates Cricket Board, 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 Glazers were unsuccessful in their attempts to purchase one of the two new teams in the world-renowned IPL, as the league expanded from eight to 10 members.
United's owners were reportedly among 18 interested parties but lost out to Indian industrial conglomerate RPSG, led by businessman Sanjiv Goenka, and private equity firm CVC Capital who already have a stake in rugby's Six Nations, Premiership rugby and Spanish football's La Liga.
Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this s eason.
