In a move like no other, top tech titans, including Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and Adobe’s Shantanu Narayen, are leading a near-billion-dollar investment to rocket cricket into the mainstream of American sports. This bold venture aligns with the U.S. co-hosting the Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup for the very first time, marking a historic milestone in the sport’s North American journey.
Major League Cricket: A New Dawn
The new professional league, Major League Cricket (MLC), is the centerpiece of this ambitious endeavor. Iconic Ventures, Madrona Venture Group, and key executives from Google are among the prominent investors backing MLC. Soma Somasegar, managing director at Madrona, is a crucial figure in this initiative, co-owning Seattle’s cricket team, the Orcas, alongside Nadella.
“What gets me excited is seeing if cricket can become a mainstream sport in the U.S.,” Somasegar remarked. His zeal echoes a grand vision held by numerous investors who are convinced of cricket’s potential to win over the American crowd.
The Financial Commitment
Nearly $850 million is being funneled into developing MLC, with each of the six professional teams expected to invest between $75 million and $100 million. This investment covers team formation, talent acquisition, and the construction of stadiums designed to host live cricket matches.
Nadella, a passionate cricket fan, has even facilitated the creation of a cricket field on Microsoft’s campus in Bellevue, Washington. “A lot of us immigrants grew up with this sport. We’d study and watch cricket — on repeat,” Somasegar shared, highlighting the deep-rooted love for the game among the South Asian diaspora in the U.S.
World Cup Fever and Historic Wins
The buzz around cricket in the U.S. is cranked up even higher by the ongoing T20 World Cup, with matches taking place at three spots in the U.S. and several more in the West Indies throughout June. In a plot twist no one saw coming, the U.S. team stunned Pakistan in a match near Dallas, paving the way for the eagerly awaited India vs. Pakistan face-off at the gleaming new Nassau County Stadium in New York.
The iconic rivalry between India and Pakistan pulls in a mammoth audience, with their previous showdown drawing over 300 million viewers in India alone. Ticket reseller StubHub noted that tickets for Sunday’s battle are averaging an eye-popping $1,300, a wild leap from the $120 price tag for other matches in the tournament.
Targeting a Loyal Fan Base
Venture capitalist Anurag Jain, part-owner of the San Francisco Unicorns, emphasized the goal of making cricket a mainstream sport in the U.S. Satyan Gajwani, vice chairman of Times Internet and head of Willow TV, which has exclusive streaming rights for cricket in North America, echoed this sentiment. Gajwani’s group is targeting the five million South Asian expatriates in the U.S., who are avid cricket enthusiasts.
“You essentially have five million really hard-core fans that love cricket,” Gajwani stated, noting that expats from the U.K. and Australia also contribute to the sport’s growing popularity in the U.S.
Economic and Cultural Impact
South Asians in the U.S. boast the highest gross income of any ethnic group, according to research from Indiaspora, a nonprofit hub of Indian leaders worldwide. M.R. Rangaswami, the brain behind Indiaspora, pointed out the hefty discretionary income this group has for splurging on sports and entertainment.
Rangaswami, who’s gearing up to catch the India vs. Pakistan match, acknowledged the uphill battle of cracking the U.S. sports scene, dominated by basketball and football. However, he hinted that cricket might catch the eye of baseball fans, given the kinship between the two sports.
The Road Ahead
As Major League Cricket embarks on this bold quest, the involvement of high-flying CEOs and serious financial backing hints at a sparkling future for cricket in the U.S. With clever tactics to woo existing fans and entice new ones, cricket might just cement itself as a staple in the American sports landscape.
To wrap it up, the blend of forward-thinking leadership, hefty funding, and an enthusiastic fan base sets the stage for cricket’s dazzling rise in the U.S. This ambitious venture could flip the script on American sports culture, making cricket a household name right alongside the likes of basketball and football
