Will Cricket Be At The Olympics?
The cacophonous cries of "Howzat" could be ringing around Los Angeles in 2028, but what is Major League Cricket, and how important could it be this year to help the sport get its segment at the Olympics?
It's a seismic year for cricket in the USA. Major League Cricket is the country's first franchise competition, launching in July. We also have the construction of a brand-new cricket stadium to meet ICC guidelines for future international events and a global TV rights deal with companies in India and Pakistan. The integration of cricket into the USA's sporting landscape could be critical in establishing whether cricket features at the Games of the Olympiad come the end of the decade.
Cricket could be included in the LA Olympics in 2028 after the IOC session in Mumbai in October 2023
A report emerged on social media at the beginning of 2023, prompting concerns that the sport's official request for representation at the event might have come to a swift conclusion. However, those fears have been allayed, with connections close to the bid citing the weighty inclusion of Indian cricket boss Jay Shah in the Olympic inclusion group as an example of how the sport is still very much on the agenda.
The decision will likely be made towards the end of the year, after an International Olympic Committee session in Mumbai from 15th - 17th October 2023.
How can USA Cricket and Major League Cricket (MLC) help lift the sport to its highest platform? Will the competition's success or lack thereof impact its bid to appear at the 2028 games? How likely is cricket to appear in the 2028 Olympics? We will do our best to answer all those questions and more below.
Major League Cricket: Success Could Be Key
The untapped potential of cricket in the USA drove investors to take a chance on MLC, and more than $100 million has been put forward to help make the project a resounding success.
If the MLC chimes with the US public ahead of the IOC session in Mumbai, it could be timed perfectly for dignitaries such as Shah to push hard for its inclusion in Los Angeles.
What does success look like for the MLC? For starters, it must demonstrate a solid acquisition of new fans and retain them as the competition progresses. This metric can be measured by the number of views it generates on Major League Cricket's YouTube channel and gate receipts at the Grand Prairie Stadium.
The standard of cricket must meet a threshold, too. Fortunately for organizers, this should not be an issue. Mega stars such as Aaron Finch, Marcus Stoinis, and Quinton de Kock have already signed up for the event, and more big names are anticipated in the coming weeks leading up to the competition's start date.
Scheduling An Issue
The main obstacle to including cricket at the Olympics is scheduling, as tournaments like The Ashes (Australia vs England) already take up a large portion of the international cricket calendar.
With Major League Cricket slated for a summer debut this year (July 18th - July 31st 2023), it too could find itself clashing with the most historic sports event in global sporting history - the LA Olympics is scheduled for July 14th - July 30th 2028. Organizers should be ready to be as flexible and as open-minded as possible in the run-up to the Olympics to maximize the competition's exposure.
How Likely is Cricket to Appear at the Olympics?
The prospects of cricket appearing at the Olympics are still being determined. There are several obstacles to getting cricket accepted as an Olympic sport, and the IOC session in Mumbai could be the deciding factor.
One challenge is that cricket requires large amounts of space and time to play - the fact that the Olympics is based in one city provides a real challenge to organizers. At the same time, the format and layout of the competition could also prove problematic to integrate.
However, influential figures at the top of the sport's governing bodies, including the ICC, coming out in support of the partnership could prove crucial.
A statement by the ICC in 2021 suggests the likelihood of cricket at the Olympics is a real possibility.
ICC Chair Greg Barclay said at the time: "Clearly cricket has a strong and passionate fanbase, particularly in South Asia where 92% of our fans come from, whilst there are also 30 million cricket fans in the USA. The opportunity for those fans to see their heroes competing for an Olympic medal is tantalizing."
"We believe cricket would be a great addition to the Olympic Games, but we know it won't be easy to secure our inclusion as there are so many other great sports out there wanting to do the same. But we feel now is the time to put our best foot forward and show what a great partnership cricket and the Olympics could be."
Before cricket becomes an Olympic sport, there is still a long way to go. However, with increasing interest from countries and organizations worldwide, there is still hope that cricket may one day appear at the Olympics. Only time will tell if it will become a reality.