NEW YORK: Major League Cricket (MLC) announced Tuesday dates in the summer of 2023 for the inaugural season of its IPL-templated T20 league, a tournament that will bring many of the world’s top cricketers (Indians excluded of course) to the United States for the first time.
The league’s opening match will take place on July 13, 2023, at the newly-constructed Major League Cricket venue, Grand Prairie Stadium, in Grand Prairie (on the outskirts of Dallas), Texas. The 2023 season will feature 19 matches to be played over 18 days, building up to the first-ever MLC championship final to take place on July 30, 2023.
The announcement comes three years after Times Group-backed American Cricket Enterprises (ACE) secured the rights to own and operate a flagship T20 league (MLC) in the US.
Six teams from major metropolitan areas – representing Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Seattle and New York City – will each boast multiple global stars on their rosters alongside the best talent based in the United States.
“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,” said Justin Geale, MLC Tournament director. “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.”
A special ceremony at Grand Prairie Stadium marked the installation of the playing pitch at the 7,200-capacity venue (which can be expanded to 15,000 with temporary seating for larger events), with construction set to be complete in spring 2023. Grand Prairie Stadium, located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, will be the competition’s primary venue for the 2023 season and home venue for Dallas’ MLC team. More details on the Dallas franchise – including its team name and identity – will be unveiled in early 2023.
“Grand Prairie Stadium will be the best cricket venue in the United States upon its completion,” said Ron Jensen, Mayor of Grand Prairie. “This venue will be a huge asset to the Grand Prairie community, bringing Major League Cricket, international cricket and potentially the 2024 ICC T20 Men’s World Cup to Grand Prairie allowing fans here to experience a world class sport in action.”
MLC’s investor group, featuring some of America’s most successful and respected business leaders, includes Dallas-based investors Ross Perot Jr. and Anurag Jain.
“Major League Cricket’s arrival in the summer of 2023 will bring professional cricket to the United States for the first time here in the Dallas area,” added Anurag Jain. “We’re proud that Dallas will have its own team for Texas to root for in Major League Cricket, playing at a world class cricket venue that will also serve the passionate local cricket community.”
Grand Prairie Stadium, the former home of the Texas AirHogs, is being converted to a cricket-specific facility at a cost of $20 million with an addition of seats around the oval increasing permanent capacity to 7,200. The venue will feature 1,000 club and premium seats, with the ability to expand to a capacity of over 15,000 for major events. It is expected to host matches at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024, set to be co-hosted by the United States and the West Indies.
MLC has retained HKS as project architect, with the Dallas-based firm responsible for designing iconic venues including SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and AT&T Stadium in nearby Arlington, TX. Manhattan Construction Company (MCC) is serving as Construction Manager for Grand Prairie Stadium’s renovation and improvements, with MCC’s experience also including building AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers.
Team names, additional venues and further details on Major League Cricket’s inaugural season will be announced in early 2023.
