Lalit Modi, the architect of the Indian Premier League, shared a candid opinion on cricket’s chances of gaining ground in the United States. The International Cricket Council tried hard to make the game popular in the US by hosting a few matches of the 2024 T20 World Cup there; however, apart from big India matches, the fan turnout was a bit underwhelming. The United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) made significant strides by launching Major League Cricket (MLC) in 2023, but the league is still struggling to draw the large audience it had hoped for.
Lalit revealed that he called Chris Gayle during the last season of MLC and asked about the buzz in the US regarding the tournament, and the West Indies cricket legend called it ‘dead’.
“You look Major League cricket. It just finished. I called up my friend Chris Gayle. ‘Chris, I see you in Texas. What’s the atmosphere like?’ He said, ‘my brother it’s dead’. There’s nobody in the stadium. There was nobody in the stadium. They think that the cricket going to the Olympics is going to fuel America. It ain’t happening now, this decade, next decade, next 50 years,” Modi said in the Beyond23 Cricket podcast with former Australia captain Michael Clarke.
The former IPL chairman said that the fans in America will only go to spend money on watching cricket when big players like Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni are playing.
“I am a businessman expert sitting anywhere in the world in America, San Francisco, Los Angeles. I am going to see somebody called Virat Singh playing against Dushyant Singh. Against Lalit Singh. I’ve never heard of them. All that I want is to watch and spend my money to watch Virat Kohli. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Michael Clarke, Brett Lee. These expats have worked hard,” he said.
“Does anybody even watch football in US? They’ve taken Messi after…”
Modi gave a sharp reality check on cricket’s future in the United States. Drawing comparisons with global sports leagues like the NBA, NFL, and Major League Baseball, Modi argued that despite heavy investments and high-profile attempts, American audiences remain largely indifferent to international sports.
“Does anybody watch basketball in the UK, in Europe, in Africa, in India? No. The NBA. Does anybody watch the NFL in any other country? No, it’s the USA. Does anybody watch baseball in any other country? No. Does anybody even watch football in the US, which is a global sport? They’ve taken Messi after so many years… I was a major investor in major league soccer when I owned ESPN in 1995-96. I lost so much money it didn’t work. It’s not going to work even now. The Club World Championship finished last weekend where Trump presented the trophy. Did you see what came out today? They priced the tickets at $400! They couldn’t sell them for $13,” he added.
Modi reiterated that fans are primarily drawn to high-stakes clashes and the presence of star players.
“Now, India Pakistan played in New York. We filled the stadium. Did anybody fill any other stadium in the World Cup that just happened in America? No. Does anybody watch Ranji Trophy in India? No. Does anybody watch local leagues anywhere? No. Now people watch star players. If there are no stars, no Indian stars, why will the Indian expatriate population or the Commonwealth population watch major league cricket?” he said.