Helpless Broadcasters Watch ICC’s Mess of the 2024 T20 World Cup
Introduction
Helpless broadcasters, having invested massive chunks of money in the upcoming media rights cycle, are watching helplessly as the International Cricket Council (ICC) gets busy making a mess of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The governing body’s fired-up plan to host a World Cup in a country where even First Class cricket is not played on a regular basis is putting cricket’s biggest revenue-generating property at grave risk.
The Venue Situation
Nine months to go for the World Cup and no venue has been identified as yet. The ICC is, in fact, bent on making a mockery of the tournament by trying to plan a modular venue for the proposed New York clash that otherwise has no cricket infrastructure.
Van Cortlandt Park Plan
The hunt for a venue got the ICC to the Bronx, a borough of New York City, where the plan of erecting a 34,000-seat modular venue in Van Cortlandt Park was taking shape. As The City had reported last month, the plan was to begin construction around January 2024 and then pull the structure down after the World Cup ends.
Challenges Faced
Holding the high-profile India-Pakistan fixture in NYC was on top of ICC’s wish list but the Van Cortlandt Park plan hit a major roadblock. Local media extensively reported on the objections raised by various Bronx groups and a senior ICC official confirmed to CricketNext that the Van Cortlandt Park plan is likely out of the picture now.
Possible Venue Shift
“The Van Cortlandt Park plan is running into a lot of troubles and it wouldn’t make any sense to risk that big a match at a makeshift venue. A venue team is already inspecting more open fields in the area but nothing is certain yet as far as the venue in New York is concerned,” says an ICC official.
Cricketing Activity in the USA
There has been a lot of cricketing activity in the USA in the last 10-odd months as the ICC continues its hunt for venues. With nine months to go before the 2024 T20 World Cup, the venue situation in the United States continues to be a worry.
Question of How and Where
The ICC wants to host as many as 17 World Cup fixtures in the US, including the India vs Pakistan contest. How and where continue to be the two biggest questions.
Possible Venues
- Moosa Cricket Stadium – Pearland, Texas
- Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground – Lauderhill, Florida
- Grand Prairie Stadium – Dallas, Texas
- Church Street Park – Morrisville, North Carolina
- AirHogs Stadium – Texas
Conclusion
The uncertainty surrounding the venues for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA is causing concern among broadcasters who have invested heavily in broadcasting rights. The ICC’s lack of planning and the challenges faced in finding suitable venues are putting the tournament at risk and threatening cricket’s revenue generation. The ICC needs to address these issues and provide concrete plans for the upcoming World Cup.
