When the International Cricket Council came out with a statement that the next World Cup will be contested by only 10 nations, there was much furore over this particular step. There were statements flowing around everywhere that the ICC is only concerned about minting money and is not concerned with expanding the game.
And then there was the heartfelt appeal by Scotland skipper Preston Mommsen after the World T20 when he called on the ICC to look at this decision of shrinking the number of teams in the tournament. Also, there have been so many decisions which have been taken which only reinstates this belief that cricket is happy as it is and the administrators are not entirely keen on expanding the game to the previously unknown territory.
Amidst all the clarion call, the Caribbean Premier League decided to shift bases to Florida when it was decided that a major chunk of the games will be played in the United States of America. The response cricket received was a heartening sight, and was an imposing proof that there are audience around who will lap up the sport if it is presented with conviction and wrapped up perfectly.
It is not as if cricket is an anonymity in the United States, and there is a cricketing history in the nation. The game was first played way back in the early 18th century by the British colonial masters in North America. Owing to lack of any follow-up plan and proper marketing the game slowly declined and another game involving bat and ball propped up and grabbed the attention of the masses. Baseball became like a staple diet of the Americans and cricket fell by the wayside.
It is not as if the potential of the game in America is no show, as the game is essentially played by the expats from the sub-continent, Australia, England, West Indies and South Africa. It is slowly penetrating into the mainstream of the country and United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) is playing a considerable part as they have introduced it in few schools.
This development has not escaped the eyes of the International Cricket Council, which has started holding trials in the region. Also, many camps are set up under the eyes of former legends like Courtney Walsh. ICC has also maintained that there are a lot many cricketers in the country, more than in Zimbabwe, and this is a great number to build on. The fact that in spite of this favourable verdict, cricket has not grown in the region and this is due to the fact that the administration is shambolic, to say the least.
Now, are things taking a favourable turn, as countries are looking towards the United States as a favourable destination to play? A game can only find its foot only when the majority of the population find it attractive. According to the prevailing conditions, only a minor chunk of the population play the game, thus things can only change only when everyone wakes up to the prospects.
Going back to the CPL, the T20 league became the first professional cricket league to come to American shores, and hence officials are very upbeat about cricket's future in North America. Apart from this, officials also plan to put two new franchises straight out of America. These are positive signs.
And now the Board of Cricket for Control in India and the West Indies Cricket Board have decided to hold a 2-match T20 series in Florida, which is further proof of the fact that administrators are awake to the huge potential in these untested shores.
The potential impediments:
While everything looks hunky-dory at the moment, there are bound to be few impeding factors along the way. The biggest among them is the fact that the ICC is just not ready to get involved in Olympics and push for the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics. Olympics and Olympians are a big deal in America, and thus cricket loses out in this respect, and the loss is colossal.
A game can only grow if it is looked as an extension of its culture. Can cricket ever be accepted by the Americans, and will the legacy, however, decrepit it is be passed on to the future generations? These are pressing issues, and even though one cannot blame the ICC for being bullish about the future, these apprehensions need immediate answers.
And then the ball is finally in the court of the local administration. The game has to evolve from being an occasional frivolous event to being a more professional one. They have to work in tandem with the ICC, and the funds will have to be allocated in a more streamlined manner.
The BCCI which is a part of the revamped structure of the ICC, and is a part of the Big 3, should take the lead in expanding the game. After all, they are recipients of a lion share of the revenue churned out, and thus their responsibility grows exponentially.
A research has revealed that cricket portals receive hits from America more than any other country after India, and thus even for the alleged money-minded ICC, this investment can yield dividends.
One can only hope, for if the game expands, everyone gains!
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