Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world with an estimated 2.5 billion fans and a rapidly growing US fanbase. This growth stems from immigration from cricketing countries like India and Great Britain as well as a resurgence of interest in cricket from US-born citizens, bringing the fanbase stateside in at 24 million.
This growth in popularity within the number one sports market in the world has not gone unnoticed. Investors in the IPL, the largest and most lucrative cricket league in the world, have pivoted their focus to “getting in at the ground level” with heavy investments in Major League Cricket (MLC). US investment is also pouring into the IPL. Redbird Capital, a stakeholder in Fenway Sports Group, recently bought 16% ownership in an IPL team.
Growth for a Miami Team in the CPL
The Caribbean Premier League is another rapidly growing market that garners over 500 million viewers each season. An expansion into the US market is a logical move for a growing league and has already been rumored when the Jamaican team played more than half their 2018 home games in Lauderhill FL at the only US cricket grounds sanctioned for world play by the ICC.
Recently, the sale of another team by an IPL owner the investment of $4 million over 5 years of CPL expansion has the potential to amass massive returns when executed correctly with an eye towards broadcast sponsorship that cannot be obtained by the CPL alone. A model for this is the similarly positioned Major League Soccer (MLS) that just posted its largest viewership in its last year with Disney before switching to Apple.
Why Miami Makes Sense
Miami is poised to be a prime location for CPL expansion as there are nearly 1 million Caribbean people living in the Miami area and over 400,000 British ex-pats along with 1.3 million British visitors yearly to Florida. Properly engaging these populations is key to a successful expansion team.
As the league continues to grow, global investments continue to rise. Recently, the Barbados Tridents changed their name to the Royals to align themselves with the Indian Premier League’s Rajasthan Royals. The IPL, of course, is the most lucrative cricket league in the world. In fact, it is the second most lucrative sports league ever and landed a deal with ESPN. Raking in literally billions of dollars, only America’s NFL generates more revenue than the IPL. So with the growth of international cricket on the rise, it’s time for the United States to get involved with the world’s second most popular sport.
A Path to Success
Wide revenue stream from newest form of US sponsorship The Sports Betting Lounge:
- Cricket is popular and easy to bet on, and gambling is on the rise in the US.
- Miami Heat, Denver Broncos adopting on-site betting services to great success and revenue.
- Huston Dynamo and Fubo Sportsbook deal most closely aligns with expected Miami model.
Create an experience leaning into the moniker “Biggest Party in Sport”:
- Exclusive party area, partner with major Miami club to bring that Miami experience to cricket.
- Higher ticket prices creating an exclusive atmosphere, play on FOMO.
- Brand sponsorship of party, solicit influencer and club scene players.
Make the 4 days of play a destination for cricket fans:
- Packages for British cricket fans to attend.
- Target US fans of cricket with exclusive opportunities and experiences.
- Canadian and Caribbean fans, high-income high profile.
Challenges to a US-based Miami Team
Lack of local fan support in previous engagements:
- Never been the “home” team, zero Miami flair.
- Focused on watching cricket not the experience.
- No exclusivity in matches beyond rarity.
CPL has no central revenue sharing:
- Limited to ticket sales and sponsorships, key difference in CPL and IPL structure.
Want the Bigger Picture?
Bringing the CPL to Miami is just one piece of a much larger plan to rebuild West Indies cricket. For the full story, from historic dominance to modern struggles, and the five-point strategy to bring the fire back, read Where Did the Fire Go?. It’s the blueprint every fan needs to see.
