Oakland Coliseum could be the venue for T20 World Cup in 2024

[MenInG]

Oakland Coliseum, the home of Major League Baseball team (MLB), Oakland Athletics has emerged as a potential venue for the Men's T20 World Cup in 2024.

The mega event will be co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

According to a media report, ICC CEO Geoff Allardice and development head Will Glenwright recently met USA Cricket officials in California, where the idea was discussed.

The attractive location and the overall capacity are the two major features of the Oakland Coliseum that have appealed to cricket administrators. The stadium's location is home to a grassroots cricket scene and an expatriate fan base, which can be tapped into. This stadium can hold up to 53000 fans, more than twice that of currently available cricket stadiums in the USA. Baseball stadiums have already hosted cricket exhibition matches earlier when the Cricket All-Stars T20 Tour was played between Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne's teams in 2015 in New York, Houston, and Los Angeles.

Despite these major features, this stadium needs to avoid key hurdles for properly hosting the World Cup matches. The Time zone will be an issue for telecasting the games as the stadium is located in the Pacific time zone. However, this stadium can be suited for a double-header or triple-header on the same day as it can suit the UK primetime.

Another obstacle can be the availability of this stadium as the event can fall right in the middle of a baseball season. Cricket officials need to be allowed the installation of drop-in pitches. On the whole, not more than two or three matches can get considered at the same venue.

This venue is actually designed as per the baseball and football guidelines. Therefore, square boundaries need to be revised as per requirement. Local administrators are looking to consider this venue for the T20 World Cup depending on its viability. They are even planning to host some exhibition matches by the end of 2023 for a clear idea of how to proceed. If it gets permitted, then such exhibition matches will happen during the October-November window after the conclusion of the baseball season.

CricketPakistan

 

[sweep_shot]

Can be a massive PR boost for cricket in USA.

 

[Rana]

And they will want the India v Pakistan match to be played at this venue

You read it here first.

 

[sweep_shot]

And they will want the India v Pakistan match to be played at this venue

You read it here first.

California has lots of desi people.

Holding a Pakistan-India game there is not a bad idea.

 

[Major]

Wow, would be wonderful to watch his game being played on a baseba field

 

[DeadlyVenom]

The T20 match where shoaib and other retirees played in 2015 was played in a baseball ground.

Looked like an enjoyable atmosphere.

 

[U$ofA]

Probably the worst stadium in the country. And by some distance. Not to mention a run down city.

 

[BreadPakoda]

Not to mention a run down city.

Lots the concerts (including Bollywood) take place in Oakland. The city is a total mess indeed but going there to attend a game shouldn’t be that big a problem.