The organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are weighing up a bold move to stage cricket matches in New York, thousands of miles away from the host city, in a bid to maximize global television ratings. The potential decision is primarily driven by the significant time difference between California and the Indian subcontinent, which officials fear could alienate the sport's largest fan base.
Casey Wasserman, chairperson of LA28, confirmed that while the team is "still working through the specifics," the goal is to find the best possible platform for cricket’s Olympic return.
"If we can find a place for cricket in Los Angeles, in the region, we will," Wasserman stated. "If not, it's incumbent upon us to find the best place to produce the best cricket".
The 12-hour and 30-minute gap between Los Angeles and India presents a major scheduling headache. A primetime 8:00 PM start in California would air at 8:30 AM in India, missing the lucrative evening viewership window.
In contrast, New York sits only nine hours and 30 minutes behind India. Staging matches on the East Coast would allow for morning starts in the U.S. that align perfectly with primetime evening slots in the Asian subcontinent—a strategy successfully employed during the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.
While most LA28 venues have been confirmed, cricket remains an outlier due to a lack of existing permanent infrastructure in Southern California. Major League Cricket (MLC) currently utilizes venues in Dallas and North Carolina, but neither offers the broadcast advantages of the East Coast.
New York’s pedigree as a host was proven during the 2024 World Cup at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, a modular facility that was dismantled after the tournament. There is also speculation regarding a permanent stadium in Marine Park, Brooklyn, though its completion date remains uncertain.
When the first ball is bowled in 2028, it will mark cricket’s first Olympic appearance in over 128 years. The sport last featured in the 1900 Paris Games, where Great Britain defeated France in a one-off match.
Cricket joins an expanded roster for the Los Angeles Games that includes baseball, softball, flag football, lacrosse, and squash, as the IOC seeks to diversify its appeal to younger and more international audiences.
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