Jay Shah is currently leading the ICC. Credits-AFP
In a groundbreaking development, the Knight Riders have officially started the construction of the cricket stadium in Los Angeles, their home venue in the Major League Cricket (MLC). The Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) is the sister franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL)'s Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
The MLC and IPL franchise, in association with the ICC, unveiled the the beginning of construction on the Knight Riders Cricket Ground in Pomona, LA County, California, on Wednesday.
The Stadium will serve as the host for three MLC 2026 fixtures (all home games for LAKR) and as a testing ground for the historic LA28 Summer Olympic Games, which will again host cricket there after 128 years.
LAKR, ICC team up for LA28's venue
On Wednesday, the Jay Shah-led ICC made the announcement about the start of the construction of the stadium through a press release. The ground will be called the Knight Riders Cricket Ground, which is being constructed on the Fairplex Grounds in Pomona.
The apex body also shared pictures from the ceremony, where dignitaries from the ICC, Knight Riders, and the Olympic Committee were present.
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Venky Mysore, CEO of Knight Riders Sports, ICC's CEO Sanjog Gupta, LA28 Vice President of Sports Niccolò Campriani, Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval, Consul General of India in Los Angeles Dr. K. J. Srinivasa and Fairplex President and CEO Walter Marquez were in presence.
"We officially broke ground on the Knight Riders Cricket Ground, marking a historic milestone for sports in Southern California and a multi-million dollar commitment to the future of the game," the Knight Riders stated via X.
“The journey over the next two years will see many such milestones which enhance the sense of occasion, culture and community, as cricket's home for LA28 is built in Pomona," ICC's press release said.
Rapid rise of Cricket in USA
The sport of cricket has been heavily promoted in the US market through the MLC, where six franchises participate annually in a T20 league for the silverware. LAKR is one of the three Indian-backed franchises, alongside MI New York and the Texas Super Kings.
Apart from the MLC, which kicked off in 2023, the ICC co-hosted the 2024 T20 World Cup in the United States to create buzz for Cricket in the country.
Although the sports industry in the USA is gigantic, cricket is still finding its feet in the largest economy in the world. However, with the reintroduction of cricket into the Olympics, it is not far from becoming a globally dominant sport.
How can LA28 advantage Cricket?
The LA28 Olympic Games are expected to generate around USD 6.88 billion, with the organisers having already secured over USD 2 billion in commercial revenue. Meanwhile, the ICC made USD 719 million through the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Cricket is not a globally dominant sport, and is followed primarily in 10-12 countries across three continents. However, given the widespread reach the Olympics have, the sport will grow multi-fold after the LA28.
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