Cricket is returning to Olympics after 128 years. But many hope the sport will finally crack America
Cricket , the world's second most-watched sport, is set to make its Olympic return in 2028, 126 years after its last appearance. This significant comeback is being heralded by the commencement of construction for a new 10,000-plus capacity cricket stadium in Pomona, eastern Los Angeles County. This premier venue, designed to host both men's and women's matches, is located within the Fairplex fairgrounds.
It will serve as the home of the Los Angeles Knight Riders, a Major League Cricket team owned by Mumbai -based Knight Riders Sports, a company co-led by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan . The groundbreaking ceremony included a 'bhumi pujan', a Hindu ritual traditionally performed to seek divine blessings and forgiveness before disturbing the earth for construction. Cricket already holds significant cultural sway within US diaspora communities, particularly those from South Asia , where it is followed with fervent dedication.
For American fans, coaches, and players, a dedicated stadium in a major sports market like Southern California represents a monumental milestone. New fresh grass is grown for a world-class cricket pitch at the Pomona Fairplex (Associated Press) Investors anticipate that the momentum generated by local Major League Cricket games will extend to the Olympics , introducing the sport to a broader American audience and fostering promising pathways for homegrown cricketing talent. Olympics could make cricket mainstream in America Venky Mysore, CEO of Knight Riders Sports, said establishing the Knight Riders Cricket Field is just the first step in getting the average American fan engaged.
Mysore is convinced of the sport's commercial potential. “ People who watch the Olympics are not necessarily cricket fans. ,” Mysore said.
“When cricket becomes an Olympic sport, that takes interest and awareness to the next level. ” Knight Riders Sports operates multiple teams worldwide — in India, the Caribbean and the United Arab Emirates. But the Pomona venue is the only stadium they’ve built from scratch, Mysore said.
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