Cricket in 2028 LA Olympics: How the sport and Games can benefit from its inclusion

Cricket is set for a return to the Olympics after a gap of 128 years with the organisers of the 2028 Los Angeles Games making a formal recommendation its inclusion in the T20 format. The last time cricket was part of the Olympic Games was in 1900 when England defeated France in a one-off match in Paris to win the gold medal. On Monday, LA 2028 organisers recommended including cricket alongside baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse and squash in the Games in five years time. The final decision will be ratified at the IOC Session which will take place in India. “We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics. Whilst this is not the final decision, it is a very significant landmark towards seeing cricket at the Olympics for the first time in more than a century,” ICC Chairman Greg Barclay said in reaction. The cricketing calendar is packed with ICC tournaments and bilateral series and Olympic participation means future calendars would have to be redrawn. However, it’s a move that is set to benefit cricket in more than one way besides enhancing its reputation as a global sport. The inclusion of cricket in the Summer Games will also benefit the Olympic movement in return. We take a look at how cricket and the Olympic movement can both benefit from the inclusion of the sport in Los Angeles. Cricket ready for Olympic Games The ICC has proposed for the men’s and women’s T20 competitions to be part of the 2028 Olympics. The choice of the shortest format makes a lot of sense as it is easily the best among the three to help the sport grow its footprint among global sports fans. Cricket is one of the most followed sports in the world but the majority of its followers belong to South Asia. In order to take cricket to new shores and audience, the sport needed a simpler version of it which is not only easy to understand but also time-friendly. T20 format is the ideal choice for now from that perspective. How cricket will benefit? The most clear and obvious benefits for cricket is in the growth an Olympics inclusion would offer. The Olympics being one of the most watched sporting events in the world is often considered the pinnacle. Being part of the grandest multi-sport event, which is followed globally, provides an opportunity for cricket to showcase the sport to new audiences. It will help the sport increase its following while gaining new fans. Not to forget, or ignore, it develops new commercial possibilities. Olympics could open a new market for cricket and it can also help them add new teams and players to its ambit, making it a more global sport. Let’s now talk about the biggest benefit for the sport from its inclusion in the Olympic movement. International Cricket Council (ICC), the global governing body of cricket, currently represents 108 members out of which 12 are Full Members. The commercial viability of the game and the popularity of it in the Full Member nations is far well developed as compared to the 96 Associate Members. The inclusion of cricket in the Olympics, however, could provide the sport a major fillip in these Associate Members eventually strengthening the core of cricketing structure. How? Once cricket is part of the Olympics, the governments and corporates in the Associate Member countries will have more reasons and motivation to invest in cricket. This will reduce the dependability of the Associate Members on ICC revenue and open up new possibilities like access to better infrastructure and training in their own country. How the Olympics will benefit? The Olympics is the most global and inclusive sporting event of all, but not having cricket in its roster does make it incomplete in some sense. Cricket has a long way to go before becoming a global sport but it’s still the most followed sport in the most populous country. It’s also the most followed sport in a lot of South Asian countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh besides ruling the hearts of millions of fans across England, Australia and South Africa. If cricket becomes a part of the Olympics then the multi-sport event will be more universal and inclusive. Also not to forget the commercial gain that the Olympics will have. As per The Guardian, the Olympic broadcast rights for Paris 2024 in India are currently worth £15.6 million (Rs 159 crore). This can jump to £150 million ( Rs 1,527 crore) if cricket is added. It will also make the Olympic movement more appealing to people in India and other South Asian nations.