The United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) licensed exclusive rights for a Franchised T20 Professional Cricket League to Pennsylvania-based sports development company Global Sports Ventures LLC.
“USACA is thrilled to announce a commercial partnership with Global Sports Ventures LLC to bring this long adored sport stateside, and are confident in their ability to grow the sport in the United States,” said Gladstone Dainty, president of USACA. “This multi-year, multi-million-dollar licensing agreement will change the way the sport is played, followed, watched and administered, and we’re excited to provide for the first time ever annual contracts to our players – both male and female.”
Through a $70 million licensing agreement, Global Sports Ventures took the first step in growing cricket in the United States, which has the second highest viewership of cricket in the world behind India, with more than 1.4 million people tuning in to view the ICC World Twenty20 competition earlier this year.
Global Sports Ventures is prepared to generate hundreds of millions of dollars through partnerships. President and CEO Jignesh (Jay) Pandya said, “The professional sports landscape is a notoriously tough market to break into, but we’re confident in the strength of the consumer demand in the US. This agreement allows us to grow the world’s second most popular sport right here in our own backyard.”
The deal between the USACA and Global Sports Ventures will professionalize the game of Cricket in the U.S., providing American athletes the opportunity for a professional career in the sport.
USACA is the national governing body of Cricket in the United States. Formed in 1965, the organization is an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the world governing body for Cricket.
Global Sports Ventures maintains a network of branded participatory and experience-based businesses engaged in sports, training, education, entertainment and consumer lifestyle.
