WATCH: Oakland Coliseum readies for cricket with MLC 2025; drop-in pitches installed
Major League Cricket's third season will make history on Thursday night at the Oakland Coliseum in California, marking the first top-level cricket match on the US West Coast. The San Francisco Unicorns and Washington Freedom will face off in a rematch of the 2024 final, utilising drop-in pitches transported from New York in a venue that can accommodate over 60,000 spectators.
The Coliseum, which previously hosted the Oakland Athletics (MLB) and Oakland Raiders (NFL), will operate at a reduced capacity of 12,000 for cricket matches. The venue will host the first nine matches of MLC 2025, including three home fixtures for the Unicorns.
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The historic stadium, featured in the 2011 film Moneyball starring Brad Pitt, has been without permanent tenants since both professional teams relocated.
The Athletics have temporarily moved to Sacramento while planning their eventual relocation to Las Vegas. The Unicorns initiated discussions with the Coliseum last year to bring cricket matches to the Bay Area.
"We're going to be playing in Oakland this year and we're excited about playing in Oakland. We're still early in the process of figuring out where we'll end up permanently. The spectrum is pretty large. We can potentially play in Oakland permanently if everything goes well.
We're in the process of figuring that piece out," said Unicorns co-owner Venky Harinarayan to TimesofIndia.com when asked about playing in Oakland and the future.
Johnny Grave, who joined as MLC chief executive after leading Cricket West Indies for seven years, has overseen the project to modify the 1966-built stadium for cricket matches.
MLC: Venky Harinarayan on growing cricket in the USA, AI-driven teams and the Olympic boost
"The Coliseum is a fantastic location for Major League Cricket, and we are thrilled by the prospect of some of the world's biggest cricket stars playing in such an iconic Californian venue.
Coming to the West Coast, and being here in Oakland, is an historic move for cricket globally. It reinforces our commitment to growing the game in the United States and providing fans with an exceptional cricket experience," said Johnny Grave, CEO of Major League Cricket, in March.
"The Oakland Coliseum has long been a destination for sports and entertainment, and we are excited to add cricket to its continuing legacy.
This move underscores Oakland's status as a diverse and dynamic sports city, and we look forward to supporting the growth of cricket in our community," said Kevin Jenkins, Interim Mayor of the City of Oakland.
The San Francisco Unicorns, who finished as runners-up in 2024, will play their first three home games at the Coliseum after spending two years at neutral venues.
The tournament's schedule extends beyond Oakland, moving to Grand Prairie, Texas, from June 20 to 29, and concluding at Broward County Stadium, Florida, from July 1st to 6th. With 34 matches across three venues, this will be the largest professional cricket tournament ever held in the USA.
READ | A look at the venues in MLC
Major League Cricket has announced that the league will provide a $3 million direct economic boost to Oakland, which becomes the first west-coast city to host top-level cricket.
MLC 2025 Season details:
First leg: June 12 – June 18 at the Oakland Coliseum
Second leg: June 20-29 at Grand Prairie, Texas
Third leg: June 1-6 at Broward County Stadium, Florida
Knockouts: July 8 - 13 at Grand Prairie, Texas
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