Inaugural edition of USA's Major League Cricket (MLC) set to take place from July 13 to July 22 next year - Reports 

American Cricket Enterprises (ACE) has announced the dates for the inaugural season of Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States of America. The tournament, which will reportedly feature six franchises, will take place from July 12 to July 22, 2023.

The ACE secured the rights to own and operate a franchise T20 league in the United States in 2019. The tournament, which has been years in the making, is slated to feature 19 matches in a round-robin format, culminating with a knockout stage.

As things stand, the franchises will be based in USA's major metropolitan cities namely - New York, Washington DC, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. As part of their agreement in place with USA Cricket, the ACE will build six cricket stadiums from scratch, mirroring world-class facilities like the ones in place across the globe.

ACE has made significant strides in terms of setting up cricket stadiums in Dallas, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco over the last 18 months or so.

The organizers are likely to turn to three venues to host the first edition of the competition, Morrisville's Church Street Park, Houston's Moosa Stadium and a 7000-seater stadium in Dallas, which has recently been furnished with a turf. Justin Geale, MLC Tournament Director, said:

"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."

Gaele, who has served as Director of Cricket Operations of the IPL in the past, continued:

"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."

IPL franchises have expressed an interest to acquire some of MLC teams to expand their global framework

IPL franchises have put their stamp on global T20 franchise cricket by acquiring teams from all over the world. The cash-rich league's franchises have already made acquisitions in the SA20, Caribbean Premier League and the International T20 League (ILT20).

According to a report from Cricbuzz, the USA's premier cricketing competition is expecting a plethora of talent for its inaugural season. Cricketers from West Indies, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa are likely to put their names forward for the tournament since they are relatively free of white-ball commitments during July 2023, according to the Future Tours Programme (FTP).

The inaugural edition of the MLC will be a crucial step for the United States of America as they attempt to make a concrete venture into the world of cricket. The country has already been chosen to host the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup along with the West Indies.

Will the MLC be a resounding success and a necessary stepping stone for USA Cricket in general? Let us know what you think.