The 2024 T20 World Cup is set to be played in West Indies and USA in the month of June and the International Cricket Council (ICC) has prepared a tentative fixtures plan for the USA leg of the multi-nation tournament. It’s reliably learnt that the global body is likely to host games in the USA during day time, even on weekdays, to suit Indian prime time.
The move is likely to have an impact on the footfall in the stadiums and the popularity for the game, which ICC wanted to grow in the region using the World Cup and marquee fixtures like India vs Pakistan. Unlike the Major League Cricket (MLC), which kept timings keeping the US audience in mind, the timing of World Cup matches will be very uncomfortable for the local fans.
“It makes little sense. The ICC wants to grow the game in the USA and then are keeping day matches, even on weekdays, to suit the Indian prime time. How will the game grow in the USA when timings will not encourage the local fans to fill in the stadiums? If that was never the priority, why even play the World Cup, and games like India vs Pakistan there?” question industry experts.
Apart from the timing, ICC Full Members (FM) have also questioned the lack of quality training facilities in the USA. The current facilities in Florida and Dallas are not up to the mark, and construction work for modular facility in New Year will only begin early next year.
“There are no quality practice facilities at the moment. How can you have a World Cup without adequate practice facilities in place? There are some discussions of using some college and university fields for practice purposes but it remains to be seen how practical it will be,” says a source close to developments.
In a September media release, the ICC said they have shortlisted “potential venues” for training.
“Several other potential venues have been identified for pre-event matches and training. These include George Mason University in Washington, which is the home for Major League Cricket (MLC) team Washington Freedom,” ICC had said while announcing venues in the USA.
As CricketNext had reported this week, the money spent on the temporary infrastructure work has irked the ICC’s all-powerful Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee (F&CA) headed by BCCI secretary Jay Shah. It is further understood that there is an overrun on costs in New York and the venue is likely to be overused for matches.
The functioning of ICC events team and the manner in which vendors are being appointed is likely to be questioned soon. As of now there is no Local Organising Committee (LoC) in the USA and only a “event delivery team in the form of a not-for-profit company to deliver operational and logistical requirements”.
The ICC is learnt to have appointed “locals” in the US to work on the hosting of matches, getting the venues prepared in time, and other tournament-related developments.
Don Lockerbie, the former chief executive of the US cricket association, who was relieved of the position 10 years ago, is one of the individuals running the affairs alongside broadcast veteran Peter Hutton.
However, it is also coming to light now that the ICC may have separately appointed a “venue lobbyist” in the States to procure permissions and necessary approvals.
However, it could not be confirmed if the ICC’s own F&CA had given its go-ahead for any such appointment.
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