By mid-September, the AirHogs baseball stadium in Grand Prairie, Texas was almost unrecognizable. The once vibrant infield was reduced to half a diamond, with the artificial turf being removed and the pitcher’s mound left as a crater. The disbandment of the minor-league team, also called the AirHogs, in 2020 due to the pandemic had left the stadium vacant. However, sports still thrived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, as activities like timed car races and baseball game viewings took place. Meanwhile, a group of wealthy individuals of Indian descent gathered at a ranch to discuss their ambitious plans to introduce a new sport to the sports-saturated country.
These individuals, including Microsoft and Adobe CEOs, have collectively invested $44 million and committed an additional $76 million to launch Major League Cricket (MLC). They are betting that cricket, a game often seen as foreign and confusing to Americans, can gain popularity in the US. The first season of MLC is set to begin on July 13th and run until the 30th, with franchises established in Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. The success of MLC could pave the way for cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Although cricket has not been widely embraced in the US, it holds historical significance in the country. The first cricket international match took place between the United States and Canada in Manhattan in 1844. However, cricket’s popularity declined after the Civil War, while baseball soared to become America’s national pastime. Baseball’s rise was fueled in part by the creation of a national mythology surrounding its origin, often attributed to Abner Doubleday. Unfortunately, cricket never established an American identity and became associated with the upper class and immigrants.
Today, both baseball and cricket find themselves at a crossroads. Baseball has experienced a decline in popularity over the years, with games becoming longer and less exciting. In contrast, cricket has seen growth and innovation, especially with the introduction of shorter formats like One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 (T20) cricket. T20 matches last only three hours and offer a high level of action, making them more appealing to modern audiences. Leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL) have successfully adapted the format and attracted global talent, leading to its widespread popularity.
The backers of MLC are embracing this successful model and hope to attract American audiences with fast-paced cricket action. By reimporting what the IPL adapted from American sports leagues, they aim to create a captivating cricket experience in the US. Despite cricket’s previous decline in America, the country’s changing demographics and the increasing diversity of sports fans offer a promising opportunity for cricket to regain its presence in the US. The potential partnership between the world’s biggest sports market and the second-most popular sport is sure to spark interest and open doors for new possibilities.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
