PPAI • JUNE 2026 • 69 | Must Read Youth Cricket Is On The Rise Youth cricket in the U.S. is starting to feel like a mainstream sport. By mid-2025, there were around 131 cricket clubs in the country and over 200 across North America. In places like California, youth participation has doubled since 2018, with more kids picking up the sport in school programs and weekend leagues. As the next generation comes in, there’s an opportunity to provide merch that fits into their world. For example, kids can use branded merch like team jerseys, water bottles and gear bags not just for matches but as part of their everyday identity. Merch For The Matches The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, a global championship typically held every two years, was a huge moment for the sport. It generated about $1.66 billion in 2024, including more than $618 million in the U.S. alone. These numbers show that when cricket fans show up, they engage and spend. And that’s not just a big-event thing. It happens across the sport, which is why merchandise has such a big opportunity at every level of the game. Cricket’s Billion-Dollar Momentum The global cricket market could top $9 billion by 2030. Much of this growth stems from rising broadcast viewership, increasing youth participation and expanding franchise leagues around the world. Cricket is growing fast, and merch is one of the best ways for brands to plug into that growth. From local fields to global leagues, merch connects brands to fans in tangible ways. Watch The Match And Wear The Brand In the U.S., cricket isn’t something people flip past on TV. Instead, cricket fans actively tune in, livestreaming through services like Willow TV and Sling TV. They’re already subscribed, and they’re ready to engage. The next step is merch, like subscriber-exclusive gear or limited-edition items tied to live matches. Cricket may not match the audience size of other sports in the U.S., but its fans are deeply engaged and eager to show it. Cricket’s Tourism Takeover When it comes to catching cricket matches, people are increasingly planning vacations around them. They may fly in for tournaments and explore the local sights while they’re in town. That’s sports tourism, a $680 billion global industry, and cricket is becoming one of the fastest-growing segments. When fans travel, branded merch follows. Everything from city-specific merch to travel-ready kits can turn a trip to a cricket tournament into something fans can take home and remember. The Cricket Stadium Boom Is On There’s big money going into U.S. cricket right now. For example, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, a $150 million, 75-acre cricket complex is underway that will include two 15,000seat stadiums, along with housing and commercial space, set to open in 2027. And it’s not an outlier. Across the country, similar investments are popping up, including a $50 million stadium project near Atlanta, along with major facilities in Florida and Texas. These projects show that cricket isn’t just gaining attention in the U.S. – it’s being physically built into the landscape. Cricket is also popular in Australia (34%), New Zealand (27%) and the United Kingdom (25%). While only about 12% of Americans consider themselves cricket fans, that might be changing with the 2028 Games on the horizon. For years, the sport has been accruing fans from coast to coast. States like California, Texas and Florida are helping shape its growth, building professional-grade grounds and advanced training facilities. Since 2018, participation has jumped 40%, with more than 200,000 active players across local leagues and academies. This growth shows that cricket is moving from a niche interest to an emerging market — and brands can grow right along with it. Nielsen research shows that cricket fans are more engaged with sponsor brands than fans of other sports. In the U.S., 66% actively seek them out and 74% remember them. Merchandise turns that engagement into something tangible. There’s no shortage of ways for merch to show up in the cricket world. Community cricket leagues need uniforms and fan merch. Tournaments, from youth to semi-pro, need everything from signage to giveaways. And with the 2028 Summer Olympics, there’s an opportunity to offer countdown merch, limited-edition items and all kinds of merchandise tied to the Games. The stage is set. Now it’s up to brands to seize the moment. T20 World Cup generated $1.66 billion in 2024, including more than $618 million in the U.S. alone. By mid-2025, there were around 131 cricket clubs in the country and over 200 across North America. $680 billion global industry The global cricket market could top $9 billion by 2030. There's big money going into U.S. cricket right now. Syuzann-shutterstock / Shutterstock.com
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