Work commencing on the construction of a cricket stadium at Pomona in Los Angeles County, California (US) has been hailed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
‘ICC’ stated that to mark the occasion a ceremony was held at the Fairplex Grounds in Pomona recently.
The above development holds much significance as cricket is returning to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 for the first time since 1900 when Great Britain played France in a two-day match.
The inclusion of cricket in LA28 will provide the platform to expand the sport beyond its traditional strongholds and leave its footprints behind in the Americas thus inspiring more young people to take up the game and broaden the fan base across continents.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the global governing body of the sport of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference on June 15th, 1909 by the representatives of the Australian Cricket Board, England and Wales Cricket Board and the South African Cricket Association at the 31,100-seat Lord’s Cricket Ground in London (UK). In 1965, the body was renamed as the International Cricket Conference and its current name was adopted in 1987. The ICC has its headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
‘ICC’ further stated that the ICC Chairman Jay Shah termed it as a “major milestone” for cricket and its 2.5 billion fans worldwide as cricket prepares for its historic Olympic return at LA28 after 128 years.
The 2028 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad and commonly known as Los Angeles 2028 or LA28, is an upcoming international multisport event scheduled to take place from July 14th-30th, 2028, in the United States. Los Angeles will be the Host City with various events also scheduled to be held at the other cities spread across the Greater Los Angeles area plus two subsites in Oklahoma City.
Cricket Return to Olympics
Stated Shah, “These are very exciting times for the game of cricket as it makes giant strides in establishing itself as a global sport. Our focus has been on expanding the footprint of cricket and being part of the Olympic movement is something that brings both pride and dreams with it. The groundbreaking marks an important milestone in cricket’s return to the Olympics and is a proud moment for all the ICC Members and the stakeholders worldwide. We’re confident this venue will take centerstage during the Games and leave a legacy for cricket in the USA.”
ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta, who was present at the sod-turning ceremony, said cricket’s world governing body remains totally focused on expanding the sport globally with its return to the Olympics marking a significant step towards that goal.
Said Gupta, “This is a ‘ground-breaking’ moment in cricket’s return to the Olympic Games, both for the sport and for the Olympic movement. 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. With the inclusion in the Olympic Games and other regional multisport events cricket has already stepped into a new era of global growth powered by improved accessibility, elevated visibility and stronger institutional support.”
Added Gupta, “The momentum for our game has never been stronger and it has been demonstrated by the recent ICC events which saw record-breaking stadia attendance as well as broadcast and digital engagement coupled with deep cultural and socio-economic impact. Strong participation growth across the world and recent ‘fan-first’ efforts by the ICC to grow key markets will further bolster cricket’s march into the Olympics.”
Funding
Being part of the Olympic movement helps get more funding and support from many Governments and the gap between the traditionally strong teams and others has reduced considerably in recent years, especially in the T20I format, which will feature in the Olympics for both the men’s and women’s competitions.
Major League Cricket
Prior to the start of the Olympic Games the Fairplex Grounds will serve as the home pitch for the Major League Cricket (MLC) franchise Los Angeles Knight Riders for three matches between July 1st-5th.
The MLC is the premier professional T20 cricket league in the United States featuring six teams.
The LA28 Vice-President of Sports Niccolò Campriani, the Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval, the Consul General of India in Los Angeles Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, Knight Riders Sports head honcho Venky Mysore, and the Fairplex President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Walter Marquez were present at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Key Question:
- Will the reintroduction of cricket in LA28 help in the sport gaining popularity in the United States – a country known for its passion for baseball and American football?
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