Next year, New York City has a chance to make history. The International Cricket Council is looking for cities to host the Men’s T20 World Cup, and New York City is among the finalists. What’s being proposed is a history making temporary pop-up stadium in Van Cortlandt Park, the heart of cricket, not just in New York City, but across the country. As the largest recreational cricket league based right here in the Bronx, our members are thrilled.
It would bring the world’s second most popular sport to the global capital of the world, offer a rich and diverse cultural experience for our community, and infuse our neighborhoods with millions of dollars in vital economic activity. It would be the first time a global cricket tournament has been hosted in the United States.
New York City has long been the globe’s melting pot – a rich tapestry of every walk of life from every corner of the world. The T20 tournament reflects that diversity with 20 participating nations. These nations represent the immigrant communities that have helped New York City flourish from the West Indies and India to Pakistan and Afghanistan. At long last, these immigrant, Black, and Brown people have a chance to see their sport from their own backyard. Imagine the impact on the next generation of cricketers when the world’s best players are here on their doorstep in New York City. World Cups inspire new fans, motivate kids to get involved in sport and generate hundreds of millions of dollars for local communities.
Bringing cricket to the United States is an opportunity for the cultural cross pollination that makes New York City one of a kind. The sport has more than 1 billion fans and 300 million participants worldwide, yet it has not permeated American culture like basketball or football. Despite that, there are still 30 million cricket fans in the United States including myself and my fellow recreational players. This is an opportunity to change all of that with New York City…
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