BBC MUSIC INTRODUCING AND THE HUNDRED ARE BRINGING LIVE MUSIC BACK TO THE UK THIS SUMMER

After a year of cancelled live music festivals and gigs, The Hundred guarantees live performances at each of its 68 games courtesy of BBC Music Introducing.

• Live music artists performing at every game
• DJs embedded in each of the eight city-based teams
• Hosts from the world of entertainment announced for each team

The Hundred - a new 100-ball cricket competition - today announces an unprecedented collaboration with BBC Music Introducing to bring live music back to England and Wales. The partnership will see sport and entertainment collide on a scale never seen before as world-class cricket and a strong line-up of live music fuse to create one of the must-see events of the summer.

Music artists have had the majority of their planned performances cancelled in the past year and The Hundred poses a new opportunity for them to get back out in front of fans this summer. Fresh talent that has come through the regional BBC Music Introducing platforms including The Orielles, Jerub, Lady Sanity, Oscar Welsh, Coach Party and Rachel K Collier will be performing at their respective local ground with more acts to be announced in the build up to the competition. Thanks to broadcast partnerships with BBC and Sky, performances will be enjoyed by fans at home as well as those in the grounds.

Lady Sanity, who will be performing at Edgbaston at a Birmingham Phoenix game, says, “I’m excited to finally be on a stage! Especially in Birmingham! I can’t wait to perform at The Hundred and get back to live audiences. It’s great to see a competition that puts women on the same platform as men - I’m all for that! I get really competitive too, so I’ll definitely be cheering on Birmingham Phoenix this summer.”

The Orielles who will be performing at Emirates Old Trafford at a Manchester Originals game say, “It’s been far too long since we were last on stage together. We can’t wait to hit the stage at Emirates Old Trafford and watch Manchester Originals smash it all summer.”

Further cementing the music credentials of The Hundred, a local BBC Music Introducing DJ will be embedded into each of the eight new teams, each curating a unique soundtrack, reflective of their city and the people, players and artists within it. The music on offer at each game is designed to bring fans right into the action and will all be live. From walk out music, to game reaction sounds, the venue DJs are in full control of the sound of their team.

The confirmed DJs are:

• Bodalia @ Birmingham Phoenix
• Jess Iszatt @ London Spirit
• Roesh @ Manchester Originals
• Emily Pilbeam @ Northern Superchargers
• Abbie McCarthy @ Oval Invincibles
• Steph Nieuwenhuys @ Southern Brave
• Charlie Burley @ Trent Rockets
• GRLTLK @ Welsh Fire

London Spirit DJ Jess Iszatt says, “This time just over a year ago, I was already looking forward to being a part of The Hundred, but it is safe to say I am even more buzzing to be a part of a huge major event coming back this summer, like coming out of a cold dark winter hibernation! We all know that both sport and music are key in helping maintain mental and physical well-being, and during the pandemic, both the sporting and music world have been halted. I can't wait to be playing great new music that I have discovered over the past year, whilst cheering on London Spirit!”

Oval Invincibles bowler, Saqib Mahmood says, “Dancing again by Timo ODV has got to be on our playlist, such a great track! London is always on the go so any soundtrack to the city is bound to be epic and with it being the backdrop to The Hundred, it’s going to be all energy, all summer. Music has a massive impact on my mood and can really motivate me ahead of a game so bring it on.”

The line-up of music talent comes as part of The Hundred’s ambition to throw cricket’s doors open to new audiences this summer, welcoming in families and inspiring the next generation to say that cricket is a game for them.

The same commitment led to the launch of The Hundred Rising: a programme of opportunities for 100 people across England and Wales to get involved in producing the competition. The opportunities included the chance for eight budding presenters to co-host at venues alongside seasoned pros throughout the summer. The Rising Hosts will be selected ahead of competition launch and they’ll join the lead Host for each team:

• Qasá Alom @ Birmingham Phoenix
• Emma Saunders @ London Spirit
• Yasser @ Manchester Originals
• Rich Williams @ Northern Superchargers
• Nick Bright @ Oval Invincibles
• Kenzie Benali @ Southern Brave
• Jasmine Takhar @ Trent Rockets
• Steffan Powell @ Welsh Fire

Northern Superchargers host Rich Williams says, “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of The Hundred! It’s going to be an amazing summer competition and if you’ve got tickets to see the Northern Superchargers, you’re guaranteed lots of excitement from a great team, and lots of entertainment alongside the cricket.”

Sanjay Patel, The Hundred Managing Director says, “In collaboration with BBC Music Introducing, we are curating a real festival line-up to deliver a ground-breaking music programme that is integrated into a world-class sporting event, unlike anything that has been delivered before.

“Each of the acts, DJs and Hosts we’ve announced embody the spirit of The Hundred in their own way and they’ll be bringing the energy all summer long. With fast-paced cricket on the pitch and live music performances off it, we’re delivering on our promise to provide entertainment for the whole family.”

The Hundred promises a summer of unforgettable sport and epic entertainment to enjoy with friends and family. Tickets are great value for money: £5 for under 16s with adult tickets starting at £10, under-fives go free. Aside from the first two games on July 21 and 22, tickets give you the chance to see a women’s and men’s game. Refund policies will be in place should matches be affected by Covid.

To get access to tickets, access team merchandise and get the latest news for The Hundred, click here.

The Hundred Games and Performances

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About The Hundred

The Hundred is a brand new sports competition launching this summer (21 July-21 Aug). It fuses blockbuster entertainment with world-class cricket, inviting everyone to fall in love with the game at its intense, electrifying and incredible best.

Combining a new short, fast format of cricket, with each game lasting less than three hours, and incredible entertainment beyond sport, The Hundred will make cricket more accessible to reach a broader audience. It’s simple: 100 balls per team, most runs wins, so every ball counts.

The Hundred will feature eight brand new teams from seven cities, with men’s and women’s competitions taking place side by side: Welsh Fire (Cardiff), Southern Brave (Southampton), Northern Superchargers (Leeds), London Spirit, Trent Rockets (Nottingham), Oval Invincibles (London), Manchester Originals and Birmingham Phoenix. Each team will feature some of the best international and domestic cricketers from around the world, including England Men’s & Women’s World Cup winners.

Games will be broadcasted live on Sky Sports and BBC throughout the competition – so whether in ground or watching from home – you’ll be right amongst all the action.

You won’t want to miss out on this summer’s sporting entertainment event! Join us for the latest news access to tickets by signing up at thehundred.com.

About BBC Music Introducing

BBC Music Introducing supports unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar musicians across the UK.

With over 500,000 tracks uploaded to the BBC Music Introducing website and over 200,000 artists registered, BBC Music Introducing provides a network dedicated to supporting the best emerging talent from across the UK and a platform to propel them onto the national stage through Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 2, Radio 3, 6 Music and the Asian Network.

BBC Music Introducing also gives up-and-coming artists broadcast opportunities on BBC radio, television and online alongside the chance to perform at major festivals and showcases. Big name artists including Slaves, Florence + The Machine, George Ezra, Catfish and The Bottlemen, Pale Waves, Sam Fender and Lewis Capaldi all received BBC Music Introducing support at the start of their careers.

Since its launch in 2007, BBC Music Introducing has brought thousands of acts to hundreds of different stages, including Glastonbury, Big Weekend, Latitude, Creamfields, Reading and Leeds, as well as international showcases like SXSW in Texas, Eurosonic in the Netherlands and Winter Jazz Festival in New York.