New York City is no stranger to sports, with baseball and basketball being among its most popular. That said, will there ever be a time when another sport makes the city its home? For some New Yorkers, cricket could be a contender.
Originating across the pond in England, cricket is one of the many sports that has taken the international community by storm for decades. According to NPR, cricket is the second most-watched sport globally behind soccer, exemplified by the 2024 ICC Cricket World Cup, which saw 1.25 million people in attendance.
“The staggering attendance demonstrates the enduring appeal of cricket and excitement the [one-day international] format continues to offer,” said Chris Tetley, head of events for the International Cricket Council, the sport’s governing body.
Despite its recent success, cricket’s popularity still lags in the U.S. However, that isn’t to say interest isn’t there. Sports investor Joe Pompliano noted that the USA is the third-biggest market for cricket behind India and China. This is largely thanks to the rising immigrant population of Southeast Asians within the country from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and certain African communities.
So it’s no wonder that companies and other big figures within the cricket industry are more than ready to try to tap into the sleeping market within the U.S.
2024 has already been a big year for cricket within the U.S., with the country hosting its very first T20 World Cup event.
This comes after Major League Cricket (MLC), a new cricket league, opened its doors in the U.S. in July last year to great success. Its debut tournament was streamed across 87 countries worldwide and covered live on CBS. According to Silicon Valley venture capitalist Rajaraman, the tournament exceeded expectations by amassing over $8 million in revenue.
“We thought it would be lucky to make $5 million in the first season,” he said to Forbes.
However, the biggest test for cricket will come in 2028 when the U.S. hosts the Olympic Games. This will be the first time since the 1900 Summer Olympics that cricket has been on the game lineup.
