What MI London’s Rise Reveals About Global Brands Overtaking English Tradition

For those who love cricket romantically, this year’s announcement that the Oval Invincibles will be renamed to MI London by 2026 may feel like the final blow to localised identity. A team with an incredible record of success, having won every trophy available to them (5 trophies in 5 years), three men’s trophies, and two women’s trophies. This winning brand, which is culturally rooted in South London, has lost its way due to the allure of the Ambani family’s “One Family” philosophy.

It’s not just a new name. It’s when English Cricket finally stopped pretending The Hundred was a one-off novelty for the summer and has instead accepted The Hundred is a satellite in a bigger, international world.

Trading Local Heritage for Global Equity Valuation

This delay tells us a lot. The six other franchise teams all completed their equity deals months before Surrey did; so why would they wait? They have waited because when you say “the Oval,” you are tied to both the Kia Oval (the stadium) and the Gasometer (a long-standing landmark), to a tradition of cricket that is much older than the IPL. There was obviously an issue with the Surrey board relinquishing its long history as the Oval, for the sake of a completely generic corporate name.

But the price tag puts the sentimental value of the team into an unaffordable position. The £123 million franchise valuation made the RIL’s 49% stake the second most expensive asset in the tournament, behind only the MCC-backed London Spirit, who have a franchise valuation of £295 million. The sheer amount of money being invested in each of the eight franchises ($1.2 billion), as part of a total franchise investment of $975 million, will, according to Surrey Chairman Oli Slipper, allow them to secure their financial future over protecting their brand name.

The Tactical Upside of the Multi-League “One Family” Model

The existential fear of being part of an overly homogenous brand can be placed on the back burner with the logical approach to strategy that is in play here. The MI London franchise will utilize the most advanced scouting and operations network available in professional sports by partnering with MI. The Mumbai Indians are not merely owners of teams, but they possess a method. With the introduction of MI Cape Town (SA20) and MI Emirates (ILT20), as well as MI New York (MLC), MI has standardized its player treatment, injury rehabilitation, and data analytics across multiple international markets. Therefore, for the London-based franchise, it provides access to a worldwide conveyor belt of top-quality talent that no other team in the Hundred can provide.

MI is the ‘McDonald’s’ version of Cricket. You may lament the passing of your local café; however, you will always know what you are going to get from the Golden Arches. MI has brought a proven winning culture, as evidenced by 13 titles in 17 years across all formats. The MI group is not merely buying a London address; it has installed a proven title-winning operating system.

When the Unbeatable Oval Meets the Mumbai Winning Machine

From a pure performance standpoint, this merger has been too good to be true for everyone else in the competition. It’s combining the Oval Invincibles, the team that figured out the best way to play The Hundred’s unique game style under one roof, with the IPL’s most successful franchise to date.

The Invincibles have excelled using a very specific type of cricket: fast bowlers on bouncy Oval surfaces, and attacking batsmen. The Mumbai Indians’ ethos fits perfectly with theirs (as evident by their long-term use of Bumrah, Archer, and Boult). This will make the on-field transition extremely easy. What should be concerning for the other counties is not whether or not the rebranded team will fail, but rather how well they can succeed as to render the “London” in their name meaningless. The Invincibles were able to dominate because of their knowledge of the local conditions; the Invincibles will be able to dominate from the resources of the world.