MLC set to kickstart from Texas in 2023

Article posted by Coliseum, November 24^th, 2022

Image: Major League Cricket

Major League Cricket (MLC) announced recently the dates for its inaugural season in the Summer of 2023, a transformative competition that will bring many of the world’s top cricketers to the United States for the first time.

‘Major League Cricket’ stated that the league’s historic opening match will take place on July 13^th, 2023 at the newly-constructed Major League Cricket venue, the Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie, Texas. The 2023 season will feature 19 matches to be played over 18 days, building up to the first-ever MLC championship final to take place on July 30^th, 2023.

The Major League Cricket (MLC) is an upcoming professional Twenty20 cricket league in the United States. Operated by the American Cricket Enterprises (ACE) and sanctioned by the USA Cricket, it plans to begin play on July 13^th, 2023 with six teams in major US Cities under a single-entity model. The first season is set to take place over three weeks at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie, Texas, near Dallas (US), concluding on July 30^th, 2023.

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William Swann, Vice-President, Corporate Development, Major League Cricket, US, was one of the Speakers at the 2022 Coliseum Summit US held in the month of September at the Dignity Health Sports Park, Los Angeles.

‘Major League Cricket’ further stated that six teams from major metropolitan areas -representing Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Seattle, and New York City – will each boast multiple global stars on their rosters alongside the best talent based in the United States, playing the explosive Twenty20 (T20) format of the game.

Said Justin Geale, MLC Tournament Director, “Next Summer, the eyes of world cricket will be on the launch of Major League Cricket, with the stars of the game competing over three weeks of fast-paced T20 action. The launch of MLC will transform American cricket and provide one of the best platforms in the sport for the world’s most elite players to showcase their skills while also fast-tracking the development of domestic talent to feature in the league.”

A special ceremony at the Grand Prairie Stadium held recently marked the installation of the 7,200-capacity venue’s playing pitch, with construction set to be complete in Spring 2023. The Grand Prairie Stadium, located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, will be the competition’s primary venue for the 2023 season and home venue for Dallas’ MLC team. More details on the Dallas franchise – including its team name and identity – will be unveiled in early 2023.

Stated Ron Jensen, Mayor of Grand Prairie, “The Grand Prairie Stadium will be the best cricket venue in the United States upon its completion. This venue will be a huge asset to the Grand Prairie community, bringing Major League Cricket, international cricket and potentially the 2024 ICC T20 Men’s World Cup to Grand Prairie allowing fans here to experience a world class sport in action.”

MLC’s investor group, featuring some of America’s most successful and respected business leaders, includes Dallas-based investors Ross Perot Jr. and Anurag Jain.

Added Anurag Jain, “Major League Cricket’s arrival in the Summer of 2023 will bring professional cricket to the United States for the first time here in the Dallas area. We’re proud that Dallas will have its own team for Texas to root for in Major League Cricket, playing at a world class cricket venue that will also serve the passionate local cricket community.”

The Grand Prairie Stadium, the former home of the former professional baseball teamTexas AirHogs, is being converted to a cricket-specific facility at a cost of $20 million with an addition of seats around the oval increasing the permanent capacity to 7,200. The venue will feature 1,000 club and premium seats, with the ability to expand to a capacity of over 15,000 for major events. It is expected to host matches at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024, set to be co-hosted by the United States and the West Indies.

The Major League Cricket has retained HKS as the project architect, with the Dallas-based firm responsible for designing iconic venues including the 70,000-capacity SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium in nearby Arlington, Texas. The Manhattan Construction Company (MCC) is serving as the Construction Manager for the Grand Prairie Stadium’s renovation and improvements, with MCC’s experience also including building the AT&T Stadium and the 40,300-capacity Globe Life Field, home of the MLB team Texas Rangers.

Team names, additional venues and further details on Major League Cricket’s inaugural season will be announced in early 2023.

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