New Zealand Cricket has ended its bid to launch a Major League Cricket franchise in 2027, stepping back from a partnership with True North Sports Ventures.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has ended its bid to launch a Major League Cricket franchise in the 2027 season, stepping back from its partnership with True North Sports Ventures to focus on investing closer to home, the board announced.
NZC had announced an agreement with the US-based company in April last year and said it was looking at cities including Toronto and Atlanta to base a team in the American league, with the possibility of adding a second team in 2031. The planned partnership would have made New Zealand the first full International Cricket Council member to partner with a franchise in a top-level league.
“There’s plenty of potential in the American market, however following further evaluation of the opportunity, we don’t think the timing is right for us to be taking this on,” NZC CEO Geoff Allott said in a statement. “Our immediate priority is ensuring we continue to invest in strengthening cricket in New Zealand and refining the best possible high-performance environment for our players and teams.”
Allott also confirmed that NZC had not invested any capital in the partnership and that the body would have no ongoing involvement. He thanked True North Sports Ventures and MLC co-founders Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan for allowing NZC to explore the opportunity, calling the decision a mutual agreement and pledging to keep lines of communication open.
<h2>Focus shifts homeward</h2> The withdrawal reflects NZC’s decision to prioritise domestic cricket development and its high-performance programme before expanding overseas. Analysts note that franchise leagues around the world are expanding rapidly, and the board’s move signals a cautious approach to commercial ventures abroad at a time when resources are being channelled into the national setup.
Major League Cricket, which currently has six teams based in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Texas and Washington DC, has said it plans to expand to 10 teams. The league continues to attract global attention as cricket’s commercial footprint grows in the United States, and it is expected to move forward with its expansion plans without New Zealand’s involvement.
New Zealand’s national teams remain focused on the home summer, with the Black Caps preparing for a packed international calendar. The board says it will continue to monitor opportunities in emerging markets while keeping its investment centred on strengthening the game at home.
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