In a recent development in sports, Olympic organizers are scouting venues outside of California to play cricket matches in the LA28 Olympics. It is officially confirmed that New York has come forward as an available option. According to reports, the main reason behind this switch is that they are trying to accommodate the fans in the Indian subcontinent by playing at more convenient viewing times.
Such a tremendous 12.5-hour time difference between Los Angeles and India means that prime-time evening matches to be played in LA would be hitting the Indian screens in the wee hours of the morning. Whereas, in New York, only a mere 9.5 hours of time difference would let the matches hit the evening Indian screens.
While the entire Eastern time zone spanned across New York City is a boon for the Indian audience, it is very difficult to find cricket venues in the U.S. The cricket grounds are scarce and limited, and the modular stadium that recently hosted the concluded World Cup matches at Long Island has already been dismantled after the completion of the tournament. Other cities like Dallas, Texas, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, have already played cricket matches, but no decision has been made for LA28’s cricket venue.
The Olympic matches will be held across France for the first time since the Paris Olympics in 1900 and in a number of U.S. cities when the Games return to Los Angeles in 1984. Cricket is another new sport being reinstated into the LA28 program along with baseball, softball, flag football, squash, and lacrosse.
However, controversy erupted because New York has great potential as a venue, specifically because of the alleged misuse of funds among ICC officials, and therefore calls for an investigation. For LA28, the final decision on the venue in a cricket arena remains pending due to a variety of factors being considered in connection with several logistical issues involved.
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