Oakland Coliseum to host cricket matches in June
The Oakland Coliseum, the former home of the A's baseball team, is set to host several cricket matches in June.
According to city officials, the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority and Major League Cricket have reached an agreement for nine matches to be played over seven days.
"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," Major League Cricket CEO Johnny Grave said in a statement.
The matches, which will feature all six of the league's teams, are scheduled to take place between June 12 and June 18.
"I am so thrilled to welcome the fabulous and fast-growing sport of cricket to the historic Oakland coliseum!" said Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan, who also is part of the Coliseum Authority, said in a statement.
At a news conference Wednesday, Kaplan said, "Our region here in Oakland, and the surrounding county and the surrounding region, has the highest proportion of cricket fans in America. We have fans, we have players, we have competitors, we have people who have played amateur, we have had people who played professional. And we have people who have been dedicated fans, getting up in the middle of the night to watch games in other parts of the world."
Officials said the event is expected to deliver a $3 million economic boost to the city.
According to USA Cricket, the sport's governing body, more than 400 leagues have opened in the U.S. with more than 200,000 players. The sport is second only to soccer in global popularity.
Ahead of the matches, officials said the Coliseum would be adapted to accommodate professional matches, including the installation of specialized drop-in turf wickets that meet international standards.
Tickets for the matches are expected to start at $20.
Wednesday's announcement comes off the heels of the Coliseum becoming the home venue of the Oakland Roots soccer club. Over 26,000 people attended the team's home opener on Saturday, which was a sellout.
