Major League Cricket (MLC), the emerging T20 tournament in the US, is reportedly planning to expand from six teams to eight by 2027. According to the latest reports, Major League Cricket is exploring the possibility of moving to Canadian cities like Chicago. , Philadelphia, Atlanta and Toronto.
American Cricket is officially sanctioned by Major League Cricket. The T20 league features top international players, bringing high quality T20 cricket to America. The MLC consists of six teams: Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings and Washington Freedom.
Opportunities Ahead – MLC Co-Founder Satyan Gajwani
MLC co-founder Satyan Gajwani will lead one of the franchises, while fellow co-founders Vijay Srinivasan and Sameer Mehta will lead the other. Gajwani stated that while there are options, no firm decisions have been made yet, and the final choice will be made closer to launch.
“We have options in front of us. I don’t think we are committed to one or the other at the moment,” Gajwani told ESPNcricinfo. “That’s realistically a decision we’ll make closer to launch.”
Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Toronto shortlisted for MLC expansion
Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Toronto, which have large South Asian communities, are being considered for Major League Cricket expansion. A final decision on which cities will be included is expected later this year.
Key factors for expansion include market potential and support from local authorities in developing stadium infrastructure. Recently, MLC officials visited Chicago and were reportedly impressed with the local support. Visits to other cities are planned in the coming months.
In Major League Cricket, three of the six teams are owned by IPL franchise owners: Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. The Seattle franchise has ties to the Delhi Capitals.
The San Francisco and Washington teams, which are not affiliated with IPL franchises, have partnerships with Cricket Victoria and Cricket NSW respectively. As the league expands, the MLC is expected to introduce more games and extend the duration of the competition with a home-and-away format throughout the season.
America has a large population of people who already love cricket – Satyan Gajwani
Satyan Gajwani emphasized the importance of spreading the game of cricket in America, noting that there are cities with large cricket-loving populations. He acknowledged that the American sports market is very competitive, with the NBA and NFL present in 28 cities.
“There are many cities in America that have a large population of people who already love cricket. But the goal is to grow the game, and that means expanding beyond that fan base,” Gajwani said. “America is the biggest sports market in the world. It’s also very competitive and it will be a challenge to stay relevant.
“But I think the economics of sports in America are pretty strong. The NBA and the NFL are in 28 cities. We’re in six right now. We still have a lot of room to grow in the medium to long term.”
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