Global competitions are on the docket here in 2024 and 2028.
In January 2019, the U.S. became the 105th member of the International Cricket Council. In 2024, it will co-host the biggest cricketing festival in the world for the T20 format alongside the West Indies. That is undoubtedly an outstanding achievement for the U.S., considering its participation in ICC events has been almost non-existent. Promoting the sport to a new audience is also a great move.
Although not a traditional cricketing nation, the U.S. has a considerable cricket fan base. Front Office Sports reported that the U.S. has over 20 million cricket fans, a base comprised mainly of South Asian immigrants.
The source also noted that 63 million Americans engage with cricket annually, with around 40% of those fans engaging weekly. In addition, Major League Cricket (MLC) saw a massive spike in U.S. viewership. The Hindustan Times reported that “70,000 spectators saw season one of MLC, bringing in $2.8 million in ticket sales revenue.” The Economic Times reported that “the “league has already garnered 40 million impressions and 3 million engagements on various social media platforms.”
The numbers leave no doubt that this new professional T20 league is a huge success. The monetary investment in the “largest sports market in the world” is justified and can be a big bet to increase cricket viewership globally. But the big question is this: Can the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup boost national interest in this sport?
Virat Kohli (photo, Times of India)
The answer could be yes because introducing MLC brought rising viewership and a growing fan base, and the biggest tournament in the world being played on U.S. soil will likely bring new fans to watch top cricket players worldwide, players that already have huge followings.
For example, in his podcast, Joe Pompliano said, “Virat Kohli has 256 million Instagram followers, more than LeBron James, Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Shohei Ohtani, Patrick Mahomes, and Tiger Woods combined.”
Although cricket has been in the shadows in the U.S., it is now getting a much-required thrust. Soon, will the sport stand alongside American sports staples like basketball and baseball? Don’t bet against it! One reason is that cricket returns to the Olympics in 2028 after a 128-year absence—the Los Angeles games.
