The Hundred is just a short term solution to a long term problem, mainly getting eyes on the game, which isn't possible when 99% of matches are on Sky behind a pay wall. There was all this talk of needing to get kids into the game, which they will only do if they can see it regularly (2005 being a case in point), but the deal with Sky runs to 2024 and looks to be extended until 2034 with a smattering of games given to BBC/C4 (
ECB and Sky Sports nearing ten-year English cricket rights extension, says report - SportsPro)
It wouldn't make sense to make a rival T20 series so they got "creative", said cricket was still too long for kids, made it more gimmicky with flashier graphics and stuck it on BBC to show they were trying to do something.