Looking for a way to make your sports bar or restaurant stand out from the crowd? Cricket could be the answer you’re looking for. The United States is experiencing an increase in popularity, from more people watching pro teams to the rise of youth leagues to the reintroduction of cricket in the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics. This article will tell you all you need to know about the growing interest in the sport and how showing cricket could be good for your business.
Not sure how to add cricket to your TV package? DIRECTV for BUSINESS has you covered with Willow TV. Check out our packages today!
What is Cricket?
Cricket started in England back in the 1500s and spread as the British Empire expanded around the world. It’s become extremely popular in countries such as India, Australia, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, the West Indies and more. The bat-and-ball sport is played between two teams of 11 players each. The bowling team has all 11 players on the field while the other team bats and tries to score as many runs as possible. Runs are scored by batters running between the wickets or by hitting the ball into the boundary.
Why Show Cricket in Your Sports Bar or Restaurant?
Cricket is experiencing a surge in popularity in the U.S. Showing cricket at your sports bar or restaurant can help you take advantage of these trends, providing a win for you and your customers.
A Surge In Pro Cricket Teams In The U.S.
So why is the U.S. experiencing a growing interest in cricket? One of the drivers was the launch of the Major League Cricket (MLC) in 2023. The MLC is a professional cricket league with teams in Los Angeles, New York City, Seattle, San Francisco, Grand Prairie, Texas and Washington D.C. But it’s not just men’s cricket teams leading the charge. While a women’s equivalent of MLC is still in development, the United States Women’s National Cricket Team is a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and made its international debut in 2009. The fanbase for women’s cricket is also growing worldwide, and the T20 Women’s World Cup in 2021 had over a billion views across social media.
2024 ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup
Another factor that has created an unprecedented interest in cricket from U.S. fans was the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup. The U.S. made history by co-hosting the international event for the first time along with the West Indies, where India beat out South Africa to become the World Champions. The United States hosted 16 of the 55 matches in Florida, Texas and New York, with 190,000 fans attending the matches in the U.S. alone. The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York drew nearly 165,000 people during the tournament, the matches at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Texas drew in over 22,000 people and 4,000 fans came out to watch Pakistan play Ireland in Lauderhill, Florida. The matches also drew in millions of viewers from around the world, with the final match between India and South Africa drawing in a peak concurrent viewership of nearly 53 million on the Disney+ Hotstar OTT platform. The ICC website and app also saw a total engagement of 2.7 million from U.S.-based users, up 370% from the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Cricket’s Return To The Olympics
For the first time in over 100 years, cricket will be returning to the Olympics for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. The Games will feature both men’s and women’s T20 tournaments. The first and only time cricket was played in the Olympics was in the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. Only two teams competed in 1900, with Great Britain winning over France. By establishing your sports bar or restaurant as a place to watch cricket now, you can become the go-to spot for fans to watch cricket in the 2028 Olympics.
Show Live Cricket Matches With Willow TV
DIRECTV for BUSINESS makes it easy for sports bars and restaurants to add cricket to their TV package with Willow TV. With 24/7 cricket coverage, Willow TV provides official broadcasts from the International Cricket Council (ICC), Indian Premier League (IPL), English Cricket Board (ECB), Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and more. The channel shows cricket highlights and countless hours of iconic tournaments. Provide your customers with a way to watch the most exciting cricket matches from around the world with DIRECTV.
Upcoming Cricket Matches To Watch On Willow TV
With DIRECTV for BUSINESS, you never have to worry about missing a big cricket match. Plus, customers receive weekly sports schedules straight to their inbox with DIRECTV MVP.
Check out the TV schedule below for upcoming cricket matches:
https://www.directv.com/sports-info/cricket/all
Get DIRECTV for BUSINESS
Ready to bring cricket and all the other must-watch sports to your bar or restaurant? DIRECTV delivers the highest value with the best programming, cutting-edge tech and top-rated customer satisfaction. And with 99% worry-free signal reliability, you’ll never have to worry about your customers missing a second of the action. DIRECTV for BUSINESS also gives businesses hassle-free customer service and free standard professional installation. Plus, DIRECTV’s Sports Bar Finder provides an easy way for fans to find bars that offer DIRECTV. Call 888.303.9117 to get started today!
The post How Showing Cricket Could Be Good For Business appeared first on DIRECTV Insider.
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