Black Caps stars, including Tim Seifert (pictured), could soon be lining up for a T20 franchise in the cashed-up North American league, which is backed by New Zealand Cricket. Main photo / Photosport
Black Caps stars, including Tim Seifert (pictured), could soon be lining up for a T20 franchise in the cashed-up North American league, which is backed by New Zealand Cricket. Main photo / Photosport
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has partnered with True North Sports Ventures to create a franchise in the North American Major League Cricket.
The partnership aims to retain top talent and expand NZC’s global brand and revenue streams.
The franchise will debut in 2027, with NZC providing high-performance support and expertise.
New Zealand Cricket has partnered with the financial backers of a new franchise in Major League Cricket – a competition which has a value of at least $200 million – with the move partly to try to retain the Black Caps’ top talent.
The bold move is a crucial step from cricket bosses that could help keep some of our leading players – and coaches – available for Black Caps duty, instead of opting to effectively become freelancers on the global Twenty20 stage.
The sporting body has signed a deal with US-based company True North Sports Ventures (TNS) for the creation of a new franchise in North America’s Major League Cricket (MLC).
And if the franchise agreement goes well, New Zealand Cricket could become investors and backers in a second franchise in the league in 2031.
The initial team – yet to be formally named or have their location confirmed – will make their debut in the 2027 season.
Black Caps stars – and rising Kiwi cricketers – could soon be playing for an American franchise backed by New Zealand Cricket. Photo / Photosport
The deal is the first time a full member of the International Cricket Council has partnered with a franchise in a top-level professional cricket league.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Scott Weenink said as part of the deal, the sporting body would provide high-performance and operational support, including coaching, management and support staff, as well as integrating the franchise into NZC’s domestic high-performance ecosystem.
“This agreement marks a unique and exciting milestone for NZC,” Weenink said.
“As franchise cricket grows globally, NZC needs to adapt to seize strategic opportunities that ensure the sustainability of our cricket network.
“This helps diversify our revenue streams, expands our global brand and fan base and creates new talent development and retention pathways for both our players and coaches.”
The issue of retention of stars for international duty – and of younger players who are coming through the ranks – has been an issue facing a growing number of national cricketing bodies in the face of cashed-up T20 cricket leagues around the world.
That includes NZC, who have seen an increasing number of players turn down central contracts, such as former captain Kane Williamson, Finn Allen and Devon Conway, in favour of cashing in at T20 leagues around the world – including those that would clash with Black Caps commitments.
Top players in the US league can earn up to $200,000 for playing a minimum of five matches in the competition.
That is a salary that makes MLC one of the most lucrative T20 leagues in the world for leading players.
The value of year-long NZC contracts to leading Black Caps hopefuls ranges from $523,396 to $367,197. The top domestic cricket contract provided by NZC for a season is $102,707.
Weenink said the partnership between NZC and TNS was a historic move and believed it would strengthen its presence in the world’s most lucrative sporting market.
A location for the franchise was yet to be confirmed.
But TNS has been “exploring” several potential lucrative markets across North America, including Toronto and Atlanta.
New Zealand Cricket boss Scott Weenink has heralded the historic signing, which will see the sporting body partner with a Major League Cricket franchise. Photo / Photosport
While America is yet to make its presence felt hugely on the international cricket scene, it is a nation where cricket has a growing profile.
The US national team surprised many by being very competitive in the 2024 T20 World Cup, beating Pakistan in a Super Over and giving South Africa and India a few frights during eventual losses to those star-studded sides.
The MLC competition is one that has huge potential to grow.
It is estimated there are 25 million cricket fans in the US – and cricket is set to get another profile boost when it features as a medal sport at the 2028 LA Olympics.
Cricket is set to get an even bigger profile lift in the US when Los Angeles hosts the next Olympics in 2028. Photo / 123rf
America’s professional T20 league was launched in 2023 and currently has six franchises – the Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, the San Francisco Unicorns, the Seattle Orcas, the Texas Super Kings and the Washington Freedom.
The financial clout behind the league is such that the combined value of investors in the current franchises is worth a staggering $220 billion.
Investors in those six current franchises include property moguls, the chair of a major healthcare company, Microsoft boss Satya Nadella and Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan.
MLC co-founders Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan are the majority owners of entities which hold exclusive rights to own and operate two MLC expansion franchises, the first of which will be launched by TNS in 2027.
The deal will also see NZC offer expertise in cricket infrastructure and turf management.
MLC – which achieved “List A” status before its 2024 season – is played over a duration of up to four weeks during June and July. Expansion plans will see up to 10 teams taking part in 2031.
It is broadcast in the US via Willow TV, as well as being shown globally, including in New Zealand.
Toronto is one of the potential locations for the New Zealand Cricket-backed franchise. Photo / 123rf
The roster of the six teams currently includes Black Caps Matt Henry, Rachin Ravindra, Finn Allen and Trent Boult.
Overseas stars include Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Steve Smith, and David Miller.
Weenink also confirmed NZC has become a foundation investor in TNS, with the ability to make a more substantial equity investment before the end of 2025.
He said MLC was a world-class T20 tournament and he was proud to align with Mehta, Srinivasan and the TNS investor group to drive cricket’s growth in North America.
Weenink said NZC would be joining an array of world-class, global sports, high-net-worth and private equity investors in TNS, including 49ers Enterprises (the investment arm of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers), which boasts an enviable portfolio of global sports assets, including recently promoted English Championship side, Leeds United, who will play in the Premier League again next season.
Mehta and Srinivasan co-founded Willow TV, North America’s premier cricket broadcaster, then co-founded MLC and led its successful launch in 2023.
“TNS is delighted to partner with NZC, an organisation admired for its sustained success despite limited financial and playing resources compared to other international cricketing bodies,” Mehta said.
“As founders of start-ups that have rapidly grown to established businesses, we see NZC as a perfect fit for our new franchise.
“With NZC’s expertise, our expansion franchise will elevate MLC’s world-class T20 product and support cricket’s rapid growth in our region.
“The potential for cricket in North America is immense and we look forward to working with NZC to deliver on both our ambitions and theirs, including broader strategic and corporate opportunities globally.”
Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 33 years of newsroom experience.
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
