Major League Cricket will be kicking off its inaugural season this Summer. The league is set to bring some known names and help grow the sport within America. There will be six teams in the league; the following cities will have a team: New York, Dallas, Seattle, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Can This Help Grow Cricket?
I do believe that this league will be the first step to really help push Cricket in America. Due to the saturation of sports options that already exist in America, the first few years might be a struggle.
Finding a new demographic of consumers will be a test for the league. The league will attract a number of foreign minority communities within the nation. With many people originating from India, Pakistan, England, and Bangladesh in America, their attention might be focused more on this league than the existing sports leagues in America.
The Major League Cricket will open new doors to many people who have not identified with existing sports that are broadcasted. This will open the diversity within league sports and ensure the growth of Cricket rises.
What Does Major League Cricket Need To Do?
Including big player names in the league could be a way to help grow. Similar to what the MLS did with David Beckham, Major League Cricket will need to rely on known players to attract viewers to watch on streaming.
The league is set to be played in the Summer; this is usually a more quiet time during the season for T20 leagues. This would serve as a great opportunity to bring known players to the inaugural year.
The problem that the league will see for the first few years is the inability to spend. The financials of this league are still in question, and it will be curious to see how much teams are willing to spend on players.
American sports leagues have been known to spend money in order to grow the sport; with the right international partners and investment, Major League Cricket could find its path to success.
Future Growth
While America is not the strongest national team in Cricket, this new league can help push their playing ability. It is also hopeful that this league drives more revenue and investment in Cricket’s growth in America. The national team could see potential new investments that would help player development and build new facilities.
It could take more than 20 years from now to see the United States become some sort of a force in international Cricket. The hope that Major League Cricket brings is really big and shows promise to help grow Cricket in America.
