T20 franchise owners Knight Riders Group and Major League Cricket (MLC) have announced plans to build a world-class cricket venue in Great Park, Los Angeles.
The Knight Riders Group (KRG) are the owners of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League and Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). They are also the founding investors in MLC.
The stadium is set to include state-of-the-art training facilities, luxury suites, and an international-grade pitch to meet International Cricket Council (ICC) accreditation.
The 2024 men’s T20 World Cup is set to be co-hosted by the United States and the West Indies. Once cricket takes hold in the country, the venue could become the centre of the sport in the region.
Knight Riders owner and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said, “Our investment in MLC in America, is based on our belief in the exciting future of cricket in the USA and is well aligned to our strategy of establishing Knight Riders as a global brand in T20 cricket. Plans to build a world-class cricket stadium in the greater Los Angeles area is exciting for us and MLC. This will no doubt have a transformational impact on one of the world’s most iconic metropolitan areas.”
“MLC is committed to building outstanding infrastructure for cricket in key markets accessible to legions of cricket-loving fans. We’re grateful to the City of Irvine for agreeing to explore this development in the heart of Orange County,” said Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan, co-founders, Major League Cricket.
“Great Park’s position as a hub for community recreation and its array of first-class sports facilities makes it an ideal location for the potential addition of a venue serving the local cricket-loving community and the broader Greater Los Angeles region with major international cricket events set to take place there.”
Major League Cricket is USA's officially sanctioned T20 franchise league and anticipated to launch in 2023.
According to the tournament website "MLC will feature top players from around the globe and provide a stage for domestic cricketers to showcase their talents to a global audience".
