Grand Prairie Stadium is almost ready for Major League Cricket
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Only final touches need to be made at Grand Prairie Stadium. Photo: Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi/Axios
A former minor league baseball stadium is almost ready for its debut as a Major League Cricket stadium next month.
Driving the news: The newly converted Grand Prairie Stadium will host the league's inaugural match on July 13, featuring the locally based Texas Super Kings and the Los Angeles Knight Riders.
Why it matters: Cricket leagues in Australia, India and Pakistan have proven to be highly profitable, assembling teams from popular players from different countries.
- If the sport takes off in the U.S., there is a lot of money to be made from ticket sales, sponsorships, TV rights and local tourism.
Flashback: Grand Prairie Stadium was the home of the Texas AirHogs for more than a decade and hosted soccer games for Texas United.
- The AirHogs folded in 2020, leaving the stadium vacant.
- Major League Cricket wants the stadium to be the organization's focal point and eventually house a training facility and the USA Cricket National Team.
Details: The stadium will split this season's 19 cricket matches, showcasing six teams over three weeks, with another stadium in Morrisville, North Carolina.
- The stadium's new clay pitch was curated by an Australian expert. The league is also outfitting the stadium with cameras for cricket's massive international viewership.
- The stadium will have a merchandise store, an indoor batting simulator, a sports bar, 13 air-conditioned suites, about 6,000 seats and standing-room-only spaces for roughly 1,100 people.
The players: The Texas Super Kings roster features well-known cricket players from around the world, and U.S.-based talent.
- Super Kings captain Faf du Plessis, from South Africa, has played in the Indian Premier League and South Africa's SA20 League.
- Dwayne Bravo, a legendary player from the West Indies, also has epic singing and dancing skills.
- Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu just wrapped up the Indian Premier League's 2023 season. His team won.
What's next: Tickets are on sale, starting at $30.