File this under slow news day, but I found it pretty interesting.
On Tuesday, it was announced that Detroit Lions owner Sheila Hamp was part of a consortium that purchased the Rajasthan Royals, a cricket team in the Indian Premier League. The franchise sold for a reported $1.63 billion, making the Royals the first Indian Premier League team to cross over the billion-dollar mark in official valuation.
Joining Hamp in co-ownership is Kal Somani, a tech entrepreneur from the United States, and Rob Walton,
the owner of the Denver Broncos and son of Walmart founder Sam Walton. This trio is also part of the ownership team for the Motor City Golf Club, a golf franchise that will launch in 2027.
The Rajasthan Royals, based in Jaipur, India, were founded 18 years ago in 2008, when they actually won their first and only IPL title. They’re coming off a rough year, finishing ninth out of 10 teams in the IPL, but they had finished in the top half of the league in each of the previous three seasons, including a runner-up season in 2022.
In addition to being the owner of the Lions and co-owner of the Royals, Hamp is the Trustee Emeritus of the Board of The Henry Ford Museum, the chair of the board of the Detroit Lions Foundation, and is also on the board of the Purple Rose Theater Company.
