The Los Angeles (LA) 2028 Olympic organizers are reportedly considering moving cricket matches from California to the U.S East Coast to better accommodate cricket fans from the Indian subcontinent for the upcoming Olympics.
The move aim to provide for a more favourable match timings due to the time difference between the two nations.
Casey Wasserman, head of the LA28 organizing committee, has confirmed that New York is likely to host the cricket matches due to its more convenient time zone for Indian audiences.
A prime-time match in Los Angeles would air early in the morning in India, impacting viewership but moving the games to New York, which is 9.5 hours behind Indian Standard Time (IST), could see matches begin around 8 PM IST, making them more accessible for cricket fans in India and neighbouring countries.
This is the same approach used during the Twenty20 World Cup earlier this year, which saw East Coast matches timed for prime-time Indian viewing.
India remains the most economically beneficial part of the world for ICC, with the organisation doing everything in it’s power to ensure their participation in all sanctioned competitions.
Nassau County hosted 8 World Cup matches in total including the charged contest between Pakistan and India.
However, the idea has sparked some controversy. In addition to the timing concerns, finding a suitable venue poses a logistical challenge as the modular stadium used for the T20 World Cup in Long Island, New York, was dismantled after the tournament.
Other potential venues include Dallas, Texas, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, both of which hosted World Cup matches, but present their own challenges.
Cricket will be making a comeback at the LA Olympics for the first time since 1900 when it was last played in Paris.
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