Monday, January 11, 2010

America's First Cricket Stadium (with pics)

[Updated to add a few pics directly in this post...scroll to bottom]

So I was visiting Miami a few days back (great place btw - everyone should go there if they get a chance!). While there, I took advantage of a small window of free time to make the short 30-minute drive up to Lauderhill, Florida.

Why Laudherhill, Florida, you ask? Well, it's the location of America's first cricket stadium - the Main Event field at the Central Broward Regional Park. Inaugurated a couple of years back, it has 5,000 seats (with space for accommodating 15,000 more spectators if needed), a pavilion, two pitches, floodlights, electronic scoreboard, well-maintained outfield, etc.

The town has a large population of Caribbean origin, which is why there is an inclination toward cricket. The ground is located in a sprawling complex of various sporting facilities.

There is some cricket held on the Main Event field regularly (domestic, exhibition tournaments, etc), but the field is also used as a soccer and rugby ground. There are four more football fields in the complex, and each pair is designed to be turned into a cricket ground if necessary.

I really don't know why international cricket hasn't been held here yet. It's a beautiful stadium near a wonderful location with a huge passionate fan base for many teams. Well, maybe there is the technology issue i.e. are the facilities available to transform the stadium into a third umpire/hawkeye/etc equipped stadium? And is it cost-effective to do so? Given that so many small stadiums around the world have been able to do this, I can't see why this would be an exception. Another issue would be getting visas to the US, but so many international sports events happen here that I don't think it's that big a deal.

I hope the ICC takes a closer look at the stadium and that cricket boards start getting interested as well. This is a financial success waiting to happen. A short T20 triangular between Pak/India/West Indies would be very well attended, and would constitute a lucrative TV contract as well. People are very keen to see the first international cricket in the US.

Oh well, let me keep dreaming of the potential this ground holds. Hopefully the ICC is listening and my dreams of cricket in the US will turn into reality soon!

Here's an album of stadium pics I put together, enjoy!

Updated: A few pics are pasted directly here for the reader's convenience:







Make your pitch on this post...



Labels: , , , ,


9 Pitched:

  1. Reverse Swing said...
     

    oh come on guys where is your spam protection and where are PICS ?????

  2. Q said...
     

    RS, how do I put in spam protection?

  3. Reverse Swing said...
     

    oh well I am not sure as I am not a blogger user, I use wordpress and it is very cool in every aspect.

    Although I guess blogger has a spam protection captcha installed in its system when someone tries to add a comment but it has short comings as it tends to ignore captcha if you had bypass it once or twice and that is what spammers are using.

    For now on I think you should keep deleting it, I will let you know if i find some thing worth while.

  4. SledgeHammer said...
     

    @reverse swing: Pics are in the Facebook link at the end of the post.

  5. Obaid said...
     

    There... we have captchas nows

  6. Reverse Swing said...
     

    oh nice for updating pics and captchas too :P


    Hey Guys , why don't you submit your blog here

    http://blogawards.pk/category/topical/best-sports-blog/

    It will give more exposure and more people for discussions :P

  7. Matt said...
     

    Well , its nice to see that even America is now having a cricket stadium. I hope cricket takes off in that country. ICC should arrange more T20 event in non-cricketing nations as a marketing strategy.

  8. sam said...
     

    IPL 2010-Mumbai Indians Vs Delhi Daredevils

    In IPL match against Delhi Daredevils Sachin Tendulkar's of Mumbai Indians played a confident 63* of just 32 balls!!!IPL tournament is getting more and more interesting and exciting.....Earlier Delhi Daredevils won both its previous encounters....Mumbai Indians now leads the points tally.....

    More On >> IPL Live Score

  9. Anonymous said...
     

    I don't think IPL is Good for Intl. Cricket, WANNA KNOW WHY??:

    Visit CricRoad-The Cricket Highway!!

Post a Comment