4 reasons why the United States could be the next big cricketing destination

The United States has always set the golden standard for any sporting event from the Olympics to racing events. America enjoys a good sporting history and is fairly open to sports that have traveled across continents and timelines. Cricket, however, continues to remain largely dormant. This is probably because of the fact that America gained its independence in the latter half of 1700s when cricket was still growing through the British colonies.

However few centuries down the line, the US looks ideal to accept the sport as the stage seems set. The United States has since seen a growth in diverse sports. The country as a whole has participated in a wide range of competitive sports including Kabaddi at the Kabaddi World Cup in India in 2016.

Add to this the fact that cricket is looking to expand beyond the Commonwealth nations and establish its footing in other countries and newer markets. The US gained Associate status in the year 1965 and has not turned back since.

Most recently, Saurabh Netravalkar made headlines for being appointed as the captain of the US cricket team. There was a great reception to the news that a former Mumbai Ranji player is now captaining the US team. The United States might turn out to be cricket's newest grazing grounds. Here are 4 reasons why-

#1 The Big Bucks

America is the world's forerunner when it comes to capitalism. Commercialization is very high as validated by Forbes claim that the sports industry in the US will be valued at around 74 Billion Dollars next year and a whopping 20 Billion Dollars in media rights alone in 2019. Cricket fits right into this algorithm.

The IPL, for instance, has seen a mammoth business figure of 5.3 Billion Dollars. A franchise's value reaches up to 65 Million Dollars. Furthermore, the broadcasting rights to the IPL is held by an American company through a subsidiary. There is no doubt that the shine on freshly minted notes that cricket has been churning out has caught the attention of the continent state and will soon see a spike in the sport.

#2 A short respite amidst a long frenzy

Fast and action packed- T20 is bound to win in the US

Baseball, which is the most followed sport in the US, is around 3 hours long. Same is the case with American Football where an average NFL game lasts for around 3 hours. Basketball ball games take an average of 2.5 hours. The average time taken to finish a T20 game is 3 hours.

This is slated to reduce further as newer formats such as a 100 ball format is on the cards. Cricket is a sport that fits right into the busy schedule of the average American sports fan. Furthermore, unlike many other sports, almost the entire duration of 3 hours is actual play time as relatively less time is spent on breaks and non-playing aspects.

Furthermore, a country like the US can accommodate a major region based tournament without hitting saturation. The recently concluded Vitality Blast, the premier T20 tournament in England saw 18 teams compete over 2 month period with games only on weekends for greater turnouts amidst the busy work culture.

#3 The right set of eyes

India enjoys

great '

home advantage' in the US

The US Census Bureau claims that around 2 million Indians reside in US. The India Vs West Indies T20 tour in 2016 that saw stadiums fill up is yet another positive sign. The Cricket All stars tournament in 2015 that saw legendary cricket veterans such as Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne,Brian Lara, Shoaib Akhtar, and several other players battle it out in the US saw major turnouts as well.

There is no doubt that a love for cricket exists in the US and a growing population from cricketing nations makes the sport a viable proposition. Most recently, Saurabh Netravalkar made headlines for being appointed as the captain of the US cricket team.

Though briefly, US cricket and the US Cricket team were discussed by a community that had for long ignored the presence of the bat and ball sport beyond the shores.

#4 Entertainment galore

There is always something happening during a cricket match

There is always the X-factor that any sport will need in order to attract the masses. Cricket today is more than just a sport. There are several avenues that keep viewers engaged. Exciting commentary, on-field interviews, cheerleading, fan contests, and 360° camera capture are few of the multifold elements that the American population is sure to enjoy.

Akin to the craze for Bollywood in India, there is a deeply embedded love for Hollywood and artists in America and it's needless to say that big names in the film industry are sure to attract more crowds. Right from promoting the tournament to actually owning ( and sometimes controversially managing) franchises film stars have always had a big role to play in the success of IPL. Cricket with its rich history and deep coffers can prove to be a sensation in the US for its entertainment value.

Cricket as a sport offers a lot to both to players and spectators alike. However, just like every other sport in the world, cricket will have to compete on the global stage for more eyes and bigger bucks to go forward. The United States with all the glitter and shine seems a perfect launchpad to accelerate this century-old sport to international reckoning.