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NDTV
5 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Exclusive: Cricket In USA Set For Big Grassroots Push Ahead Of LA Games 2028
The memories of India's T20 World Cup 2024 triumph in the USA and the West Indies are still fresh in the minds of fans. Many Indian and South Asian families, settled in the United States, had once-in-a-lifetime experience of witnessing some of the cricket greats in action, live. When the USA defeated Pakistan in a Group Stage match of the tournament, even the joy of local fans knew no bounds. Though USA didn't go the distance in the tournament, the team did manage to show a glimpse of the potential it holds. But, if cricket in US is to grow, the nation has some significant gaps to fill, especially at the grasroots. In a conversation with NDTV, Vinay Bhimjiani, Founder & CEO of Cricmax Connect, explained how he is working with different stakeholders in the country to help cricket fulfil its potential. 1. Let's start big picture - why do you think cricket hasn't found a grassroots foothold in the U.S. yet, despite the sport's global popularity and a growing immigrant population? Cricket hasn't quite found its footing in the U.S. because there's been no real structure to support it at the grassroots level. Unlike sports like basketball or soccer, which are woven into the school and community fabric, cricket still feels like an outsider. There aren't enough trained coaches, school-ready programs, or even accessible playing spaces. Gear can be expensive, and most schools just don't know where to start. The passion is absolutely here-especially within immigrant communities-but without an easy way for schools and neighbourhoods to adopt the sport, it stays limited to weekend leagues or private academies. That's where we come in. We're working on a model that simplifies things: trained coaches, tech tools, and programs designed specifically for schools and communities to plug into easily. With cricket showing up at the T20 World Cup and heading to the LA28 Olympics, the timing is right. But it's going to take more than buzz-it needs consistent effort, investment, and a community-first approach. 2. How is the lack of a structured system affecting homegrown talent, and how could LA28 and Major League Cricket change that? Right now, the development of homegrown talent in the U.S. is largely being carried by passionate parents and a few dedicated academies. They're doing incredible work, but they operate in silos-with no national system, inconsistent coaching standards, and high costs. This makes it hard for many kids, especially those from non-cricketing families, to stay in the game long enough to reach elite levels like MLC or dream about the Olympics. In cricketing nations like India or Australia, there's a full pipeline from school competitions to professional cricket. In the U.S., that structure simply doesn't exist yet. Talent is scattered, and access is limited. The LA28 Olympics and growing visibility through events like Major League Cricket give us a unique window to fix that. But unless we build the infrastructure now-integrating cricket into schools, parks, and communities-we risk missing the moment. 3. What does cricket need, structurally or culturally, to become part of the mainstream youth sports conversation in the U.S.? Cricket needs both structural support and a cultural shift. Structurally, schools and parks need access to trained coaches, affordable gear, and simple, ready-to-run programs. Without that, cricket remains a niche option. Culturally, cricket needs to feel inclusive, not just a South Asian sport, but something all kids can enjoy. When it shows up in schools, camps, and community centers, it becomes more familiar. That visibility matters. Right now, even though we have a national team and MLC, there's still no consistent feeder system. In countries like India, there are grassroots tournaments that guide kids toward the professional path. We're trying to create that here, so cricket can grow the same way soccer did in the U.S. a few decades ago. 4. You're working closely with PlayLA and the City of Los Angeles. Can you walk us through what this partnership involves, and why it matters in the Olympic context? With PlayLA, we're the exclusive partner bringing cricket to youth across Los Angeles, aligned with the city of LA for the Olympics. PlayLA is an initiative between LA City and Parks for the Olympics and they provide the program slots, and we take care of everything else-certified coaches, a school-ready curriculum, Hammer gear, and AI-powered tools for scheduling, registration, and performance tracking. Parents even get real-time updates, which keeps them engaged and part of their child's journey. In just 60 days, we'll reach over 10,000 students, and that number continues to grow. This partnership shows how cricket can be integrated into schools and parks without burdening administrators, and how 5. Through CricMax what specific gaps are you addressing, and what's the long-term vision? As I've mentioned earlier, the U.S. lacks a structured, scalable grassroots cricket system. Talent exists, but it's spread thin across private academies and informal setups. There's no school-level pipeline feeding into the national setup. Cricmax Connect is designed to change that. We simplify cricket adoption for schools and communities by offering certified coaches, standardised programs, Hammer gear, and AI-powered tools for performance tracking and logistics. It's a full system built to make saying "yes" to cricket easy. Through PlayLA, we've proven this works-we'll reach 10,000+ students in under two months. Our long-term vision is to reach 1.8 million students across 190 counties by 2030, produce many national-level players, and make cricket a legitimate path to scholarships and college opportunities. This is about more than the Olympics-it's about setting up a system that will carry the sport forward for generations. 6. For South Asian families in the U.S., cricket is often part of their heritage. What role can it play in shaping identity and belonging for their children? Cricket can be a powerful cultural bridge. For many South Asian parents, it's tied to childhood memories and a strong sense of identity. For kids growing up in the U.S., immersed in a very different sports culture, cricket can become a way to connect with that heritage on their own terms. We've seen it firsthand-when kids play cricket here, it often creates a deeper bond with their parents. It opens up conversations, shared experiences, and a sense of belonging that goes beyond the sport itself. Our AI tools even send progress updates via WhatsApp, so even if parents can't always be present, they still feel part of the journey. That involvement turns cricket into more than a weekend activity-it becomes a family experience rooted in pride, identity, and opportunity.
Business Standard
02-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Cricmax Connect: Powering the Organic Growth of Cricket in America
PNN New Delhi [India], July 2: Cricket may be one of the world's most loved sports, but in the U.S., it has long struggled to move beyond immigrant backyards and local leagues. While the arrival of Major League Cricket (MLC) and the World Cup success of the U.S. national team is promising, one key element remains missing -- a structured, sustainable feeder system for young talent. That's exactly the gap Cricmax Connect, founded by Vinay Bhimjiani (former CEO of USA Cricket), is working to fill. Cricmax Connect and the Youth Cricket Development Board are delivering the only Olympic-aligned cricket development platform in Los Angeles, through an exclusive partnership with the City of Los Angeles and the Play LA Program, a joint initiative with the LA Olympics committee. The initiative has already reached over 10,000 youth in Los Angeles through PlayLA Summer Camps, and is rapidly expanding into New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Chicago. And at its core lies a mission far bigger than sport -- it's about building identity, a community, and an opportunity. Closing the "Missing Middle" "In India, you have pathways like the Ranji Trophy, school and district tournaments that feed into national selection. In the U.S., we've never had that," says Vinay Bhimjiani, Founder & CEO, Cricmax Connect. "What we have are commercial academies developing individual talent in silos. What's missing is the middle -- a national, schools, parks and communities-supported structure that connects grassroots participation to higher-level competition. That's what Cricmax Connect is building." Cricmax Connect was launched with this very purpose: to create a new, tech-enabled youth cricket ecosystem that is scalable, inclusive, and rooted in community-level engagement. The platform integrates grassroots learning with structured programming, bridging the gap between raw interest and real opportunity. A Bridge for the Next Generation The timing couldn't be more critical. With cricket returning to the Olympics, the sport has a global spotlight, and the U.S. is being seen as the next frontier. But as media and investors' interest grow, youth development must keep pace. "Cricket can be a bridge -- especially for South Asian diaspora youth in America," Bhimjiani adds."So many kids grow up disconnected from their heritage. Cricket gives them pride, purpose, and belonging. But we also want to make it appealing beyond that -- for any child in any zip code." Cricmax Connect is already working with schools, parks, and city-run camps to embed cricket into youth programming, and has built a curriculum that focuses not just on skills, but also character, confidence, and culture. Celebrating the Movement This August, Cricmax Connect will take its message to one of the world's most iconic locations. On August 15, 2025, it will host a Cricket Showcase at Times Square, celebrating India's Independence Day while spotlighting youth engagement and cricket's growing footprint in the U.S. That same day, the Empire State Building will light up, symbolising how the sport is illuminating a new cultural and athletic chapter in America. Just two days later, on August 17, Cricmax Connect will also feature prominently at the Park Avenue India Day Parade -- engaging communities and showing how cricket is becoming part of the American mainstream. Building the Infrastructure, Not Just the Hype "For years, we've seen cricket thrive in pockets across the country, but that's not enough," says Atul Rai, Chairman of the Youth Cricket Development Board, which partners with Cricmax Connect on this initiative."We need a unifying ecosystem -- a real feeder structure. Our goal is to take the sport into schools, public rec centres, and provide scholarship programs -- so a kid playing cricket has the same opportunity as one playing football or soccer." The ambition doesn't stop at participation. Cricmax Connect's roadmap includes scholarship-linked programming, league development, and potential entry into NCAA-level conversations. The dream? A future where cricket is a mainstream youth sport, complete with pathways to college, professional play, and Olympic representation. The Future Needs to be Structured, Scalable, and Now With tech giants like Google and Microsoft investing in U.S. cricket, and with media exposure from MLC on the rise, the momentum is undeniable. But growth needs structure for longevity. Cricmax Connect is ensuring that America doesn't just play cricket -- it builds an ecosystem where the game can thrive. "We're not here for a moment," Bhimjiani says. "We're building a movement -- one city, one school, one park, one player at a time." (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
