NZC withdraws from MLC franchise partnership, cites focus on New Zealand

New Zealand Cricket has ended its franchise partnership with True North Sports Ventures, stepping away from an arrangement that was intended to support the launch of an MLC team in 2027. The two parties agreed to part ways on October 21, 2026, approximately 18 months after the deal was first announced in April 2025.

The original partnership was structured to give NZC high-performance and operational backing for the MLC franchise launch. Under those initial terms, NZC also held an option to invest in and support a second MLC team in 2031. Potential host cities for the franchise had included Toronto, Atlanta and Las Vegas. NZC CEO Geoff Allott, who assumed the role in July 2026, confirmed the withdrawal

“Firstly, I want to say that I admire the endeavour and aspiration behind the partnership with TNS. There’s plenty of potential in the American market, however following further evaluation of the opportunity, we don’t think the timing is right for us to be taking this on," said Allott as quoted by Cricbuzz.

"Our immediate priority is ensuring we continue to invest in strengthening cricket in New Zealand and refining the best possible high-performance environment for our players and teams. I want to thank TNS and MLC co-founders Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan for allowing us to explore the opportunity and their support in coming to this mutual agreement," he added.

Allott was clear that the decision came down to where NZC believed its attention and resources were most needed. After further evaluation, the board concluded that directing energy towards opportunities within New Zealand and building a stronger domestic high-performance environment was the right course. The exit reflects a deliberate shift in organisational priorities rather than any breakdown in the relationship with the franchise or its backers.

Allott also expressed appreciation for MLC co-founders Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan, thanking them for the opportunity to explore the venture. NZC confirmed it intends to keep communication channels open with both Mehta and Srinivasan going forward.

What does the exit mean for the MLC franchise and True North Sports Ventures?

True North Sports Ventures retains full control of the MLC franchise project and continues to work towards the 2027 launch independently. Because NZC made no capital investment in the partnership, the financial foundation of the franchise is unaffected by the withdrawal.

"We wish them all the best for the future of MLC and have pledged to keep the lines of communication open," said Allott.