The USA Cricket Association (USACA, which is a great name in and of itself) announced earlier today that "it hopes 'top-class international cricket' will finally take root in America by launching the first professional competition, the USA Premier League." It's hard to believe that the crowd noise decibels at any event could ever match the name of the event. Seriously how many cricket players can you name? I can name 3, Jack Hobbs, Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar and a 4th guy and that's only because they were the 4 multiple choice answers for the 10,000,000 rupee question.
Investors have come up with numerous half-baked and/or poorly marketed sports ideas. For example pretty much every failed women's league of the past 10 years, the XFL comes to mind as half-baked, World TeamTennis the third time (only because I don't know if it was successful the first time) being another one. Oh you didn't know World TeamTennis came back?
The idea of a professional cricket league in the states is nearly as ridiculous as the idea that a professional curling league would be successful and here's why.
Look at nearly popular sports in the US... football, basketball, baseball and even the less popular ones like soccer and lacrosse. They can all be somehow adapted to a pick-up style game, in which full teams are not necessary and full field size is not necessary. Even hockey can be played with roller blades, a kick ball and a broom. Cricket doesn't work like that. It's played on a gigantic pitch... sorry boundary (this the proper term), and if you have never seen a game, basically it's baseball that is played in every direction. Where is a kid going to find 21 friends and a big enough place to play a game that none of the other 21 kids have ever seen in their lives?
New sports have to have a way to catch on with a young active generation (I say this knowing that the generation is not that active, but the ones who do go outside and play are the ones that are targeted by new sports). It's the reason more kids don't take up golf or tennis, they see it as standing around. Another reason it won't catch on with youth is... the awkward pitching motion. It's bad enough that Little Leaguers blow out their arms trying to throw curveballs. What's going to happen when they start trying this.
GOOD LUCK!
The scoring is confusing. Think running bases, with fielders everywhere. The one good thing Cricket might do is teach kids how to hit the cut-off man. Here's an example of a scorecard.
Australia - 1st InningsI imagine that would make a bit of sense if I had a clue what some of the intricate rules meant. But I don't which leads to the next problem...
M. Taylor c. Richardson b. Snell 12
M. Slater LBW. Donald 57
D. Boon b. de Villiers 68
M. Waugh not out 184
A. Border c. Rhodes b. Donald 0
S. Waugh c. Snell b. de Villiers 34
I. Healy c. Snell b. de Villiers 6
S. Warne run out 35
M. Hughes st. Richardson b. Cronje 10
C. McDermott b. de Villiers 41
G. McGrath LBW. de Villiers 9
Extras 16
Total 141 overs 10 for 472
Rules. There are so many rules in baseball that the average fan doesn't know, imagine taking all those average fans and multiplying the rules by two. You might have cricket.
As you know I am a huge soccer fan and sadly I know that soccer will always be behind football, baseball and basketball... even if the US does finally win a World Cup. But soccer certainly has it's niche. People who love soccer watch soccer. Do I think the MLS is a great league, absolutely not. Do I watch it? Yes, because I love to watch the game. Do I ever think I will watch a cricket match or test or whatever it's called? NO, absolutely not.
USACA seems to think they have a marketable sport that people will latch onto, saying "it wants to unlock the sport's potential in a 'massive market' and use the revenues from the new league to help spread cricket across the U.S. and form a competitive international team." My question to them, cricket has been played since the 16th century, and international matches have been played since 1844, very similar to when Baseball first started. The Ashes which is likely the sports biggest event after the World Cup began in 1882. If it hasn't even become a niche sport in 150 years, what makes them think a professional league is going to suddenly gain attention.
Before USACA goes through with this, they should really check their history. The XFL could not compete with the NFL, the ABA could not compete with the NBA and these are sports that are the same already American known games. Anyone would thinks that cricket could be successful in the States has apparently never watched a baseball game.
