Hampshire Cricket group chairman Rod Bransgrove has called for the England and Wales Cricket Board to provide support to counties with fewer financial opportunities in a bid to help “level the playing field”.
The 76-year-old has been at Hampshire since 2000 and highlighted Sussex as an example of a club that could disappear if not helped by the governing body.
Sussex have been hit with points deductions for financial issues that recently led to their chairman standing down from his role.
“I’m very conscious of the situation that Sussex find themselves in and I’m very sympathetic towards them,” Bransgrove told BBC South Today.
“There’s not only Sussex, there’s a few of them who have a very difficult job in balancing the books and have the odds stacked against them.
“Unless the national governing body comes to the table then I think we’ll lose counties and I think that would be a tragedy and not fair either.”
Bransgrove has been credited with playing a key role in developing Hampshire from the brink of insolvency to becoming one of the powerhouses in the county set-up.
As well as hosting Hampshire games in the regular season, the Utilita Bowl – which is celebrating its 25th year – is the home of the Southern Brave Hundred side and regularly hosts England matches and concerts.
In 2027 the venue will welcome an Ashes Test for the first time.
“I think it is quite difficult [for other counties] when you don’t have these facilities,” Bransgrove added.
“It’s very difficult for those clubs who don’t offer international cricket, Hundred or franchise cricket – they’re not actually working to the same financial model.
“I don’t want to get into a long debate about the ECB but I do believe that they should be getting more support from the centre, not being told that they have to diversify their business. I think that’s completely wrong.
“The ECB was set up as that diversification to benefit from the international cricket that England play an awful lot of these days for a lot of money.”
In late 2024, Hampshire signed a deal with Delhi Capitals co-owners GMR Group to finalise a takeover.
Bransgrove teased that the majority owners have big plans to take the club and stadium to another level.
“They’re looking at making further extensions to make this one of the best grounds in the world,” he said.
“The future for this club now is secure. We’ve got it to a point where now a much larger organisation with a great philosophy about worldwide cricket can take over with deep pockets and the ability to invest further.
“Phase one of this rescue of Hampshire is complete, and I think phase two now is for Hampshire to kick on and be a super club on a global basis.”
