Winners of US Golf service award announced

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J.  – In recognition of outstanding contributions to the game of golf, the United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced its annual Service Awards winners. The individuals will be recognized on Saturday, Feb. 3during a gala dinner at the USGA Annual Meeting in Miami, Fla.

This year’s USGA Service Awards celebrate the leadership, dedication and exemplary efforts of 26 individuals who have devoted their time and talents to serve the game.

“These extraordinary individuals are committed to leading with impact in their communities,” said Mike Davis, USGA CEO/Executive Director. “The USGA is proud to recognize them for their achievements and contributions to the game.”

Award winners include the following:

Gilbert “Gib” Palmer, Joe Dey Award

Presented annually since 1996, the Joe Dey Award recognizes an individual’s meritorious service to the game as a volunteer. The award is named for the late Joseph C. Dey Jr., who served as USGA executive director from 1934-1969 before becoming the first commissioner of the PGA Tour.

This year’s honoree, Gib Palmer, of Midlothian, Va., has served on the USGA’s Junior Championship Committee since 1996. During that time, he has served as a Rules official at nearly 20 U.S. Junior Amateur Championships while also volunteering at numerous other USGA championships. Palmer’s father gave him his first set of golf clubs, and he has been invested in the game since that moment. He also serves as an instrumental leader of the Virginia State Golf Association and the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame – an organization he helped establish.

“I had the pleasure of meeting Joe Dey many years ago and there is no one who better represented integrity, honesty and respect for the game,” said Palmer. “To be associated with his reputation is a tremendous honor and I’m incredibly thankful for this recognition.”

Dr. Lane Demas, Herbert Warren Wind Book Award

Established in 1987, the Herbert Warren Wind Book Award recognizes and honors outstanding contributions to golf literature while seeking to broaden the public’s interest in, and knowledge of, the game of golf. Wind, who died in 2005, was a renowned writer for The New Yorker and Sports Illustrated. He is the only writer to win the Bob Jones Award, the USGA’s highest honor.

Game of Privilege: An African American History of Golf, authored by this year’s recipient, Dr. Lane Demas, is a groundbreaking exploration of the role of race, class and access to the game of golf. Dr. Demas details the history of black golfers during the age of segregation, the legal battle to integrate public golf courses, and the little-known history of the United Golfers Association, an all-black golf tour that operated from 1925 to 1975.

“I’m proud of the fact that this book provides a narrative and historical content that’s accessible to everyone, especially the everyday golf fan,” said Dr. Demas. “It’s very humbling to receive this prestigious award and be recognized by a premier organization such as the USGA.”

Tim Hiers, Green Section Award 

Presented annually since 1961, the USGA Green Section Award recognizes an individual’s distinguished service to the game of golf through his or her work with turfgrass, including research, maintenance and other areas that positively impact the landscape upon which golf is played.

The 2018 recipient, Tim Hiers, has been a golf course superintendent since 1976 and currently serves as the director of agronomy at The Club at Mediterra in Naples, Fla. Hiers stands at the forefront of golf’s environmental opportunities and challenges, while also driving advances in golf course management. An avid and articulate educator, he frequently hosts visitors ranging from school field trips to scientists and government officials.

“I learned to play golf on a cow pasture and I’ve been hooked on the game ever since,” said Hiers. “In this business, you can never learn enough. There’s always a challenge, and that’s what I love about being a superintendent. It’s a privilege to be recognized for just doing what you love every day.”

Isaac B. Grainger Awards

Established in 1995 as part of the USGA’s Centennial Celebration, the Isaac B. Grainger Award recognizes volunteers who have provided 25 years of service to the Association. Grainger served as USGA president from 1954-1955 and led the USGA effort to develop the first unified code of the Rules of Golf with The R&A in 1951.

Honorees include:

Craig Ammerman, of Tequesta, Fla.; Lee Coble, of Richmond, Va.; Richard Coon, of Amarillo, Texas; Kirke Doreweiler, of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Sheri Erskine, of San Ramon, Calif.; Sarah M. Haas, of Carterville, Ill.; John A. Hendry, of Lafayette, La.; Fay Ann Kikta, of Titusville, Fla.; Jeffrey S. Kuhn, of Houston, Texas; James M. Litvack, of Princeton, N.J.; Robert Markionni, of Lemont, Ill.; Martha Jett McAlister, of Hot Springs Village, Ark.; Mary Bea Porter-King, of Lihue, Hawaii; John T. Reis, of Paradise Valley, Ariz.; William K. Smith, of Baltimore, Md.; Rick Soskin, of Minnetonka, Minn.; Stephen L. Stine, of Sheridan, Wyo.; Judith L. Stine, of Sheridan, Wyo.; Mary Swingle, of Anthem, Ariz.; Sally Tomlinson, of Walnut Creek, Calif.; J. Daniel Walsh, of Stony Brook, N.Y.; Henri Wolbrette III, of Metairie, La.; and John S. Zoller, of Portland, Ore.

For more information, please visit http://www.usga.org.

Planet Fitness Offers Reciprocity to All Members Impacted by Hurricane Harvey and Irma

HAMPTON, N.H. –  Planet Fitness, Inc., one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the United States, will offer reciprocal use of all locations for any Planet Fitness member from Texas, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia that has been displaced by the storms. Starting today and throughout the month of September, those members will be invited to utilize any of the more than 1,400 Planet Fitness locations system-wide.

“With over 10 million members across the country and many located in these affected states, we want to ensure that at the very least, they have access to a familiar place and can start to begin to return to a normal routine during this difficult time,” said Chris Rondeau, Planet Fitness chief executive officer.

To locate the nearest Planet Fitness club, please visit PlanetFitness.com/Local-Clubs.

About Planet Fitness
Founded in 1992 in Dover, N.H., Planet Fitness is one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the United States by number of members and locations. As of June 302017, Planet Fitness had approximately 10.4 million members and more than 1,400 stores in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada and the Dominican Republic. The Company’s mission is to enhance people’s lives by providing a high-quality fitness experience in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment, which we call the Judgement Free Zone®. More than 95% of Planet Fitness stores are owned and operated by independent business men and women.

 

MLB All-Star Week to celebrate and broadcast LIVE in Miami

SAN FRANCISCO and NEW YORK: TuneIn, the official streaming audio partner of Major League Baseball, is celebrating MLB All-Star Week and one of the most exciting moments in sports – the home run – during the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. Celebrating the season of the long ball, TuneIn and MLB will launch the TuneIn MLB Going Gone Giveaway during the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, rewarding fans FREE Premium audio of MLB on TuneIn.

During the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, the TuneIn MLB Going Gone Giveaway will offer fans TuneIn Premium MLB play-by-play, which features every team’s home call, for the following home runs hit:

• Five FREE days of Premium MLB content for 100 cumulative home runs hit
• Seven FREE days of Premium MLB content for 150 cumulative home runs hit
• 10 FREE days of Premium MLB content for 200 cumulative home runs hit

Through the TuneIn MLB Going Gone Giveaway, fans can listen to Premium audio coverage of their favorite MLB teams for FREE after the MLB All-Star break, beginning July 14.

The T-Mobile Home Run Derby will feature some of baseball’s best long ball hitters, including Miami’sGiancarlo Stanton in his home stadium, New York Yankees sensation Aaron Judge, L.A. Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger, Twins slugger Miguel Sano, Gary Sanchez of the NY Yankees, Colorado’s Charlie Blackmon, Kansas City Royal Mike Moustakas and Justin Bour of the Miami Marlins.

“The audio of a home run call is one of the most captivating moments in sports, and TuneIn is celebrating the long ball with MLB,” said TuneIn Vice President of Marketing, Scott Parker. “We’re excited to give a gift to fans around the world of the ultimate listening experience during one of the most exciting events in sports, the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. This is a great opportunity to showcase TuneIn’s offerings and celebrate baseball by giving all fans access to free MLB play-by play for the start of the second half of the season through TuneIn’s MLB Going Gone Giveaway. With the lineup MLB has put together for the event, we can’t wait to see all the home runs, and join in on the celebration of the long ball.”

“We’re in the live-ball era. It’s been the season of the home run. TuneIn is adding another level of excitement for fans to bring them every exciting home call,” said TuneIn ambassador, Hall of Famer, and MLB Home Derby Champion Frank Thomas. “I wish all the T-Mobile Home Run contenders best of luck and hope fans can receive the ultimate unlock package, 10 days of FREE TuneIn Premium MLB audio with 200 homeruns!”

TuneIn will also feature wall-to-wall coverage of MLB All-Star programming live from Miami, giving baseball fans from around the world the opportunity to listen to the sounds of the game through the TuneIn app. The 2017 season marks the second full season of TuneIn’s partnership with MLB, giving TuneIn Premium subscribers access to the home call and play-by-play of every game for every team.

As part of its MLB All-Star activity in Miami, TuneIn will broadcast live at the ESPN set at the Clevelander Miami with a full lineup of MLB programming and talent on MLB At the Plate. Host Holden Kushner and a star-studded cast of analysts, including World Series Champion Jeff Nelson and former catcher JP Arencibia, will provide listeners best-in-class coverage of MLB All-Star Week with interviews, highlights, analysis, recaps and more.

In addition to All-Star Week programming, TuneIn is home to a dedicated 24/7 “MLB on TuneIn” station that features the audio simulcasts of MLB Network’s Intentional Talk, game recaps and encore episodes of MLB At the Plate.

Listeners can access MLB coverage on TuneIn via TuneIn.com or by downloading the TuneIn app for iOSor Android devices.

About TuneIn
TuneIn is the most popular way to listen to streaming audio from around the world. With more than 60 million monthly active users, TuneIn lets people listen to the world’s sports, news, talk and music from wherever they are. TuneIn has more than 100,000 radio stations and 5.7 million on-demand programs stemming from every continent, and is available for free across many connected devices. TuneIn Premium lets subscribers listen to the NBA, NFL, MLB, more than 60,000 audiobooks, and commercial-free music stations. TuneIn has venture funding from Comcast Ventures, IVP, Sequoia Capital, Google Ventures, General Catalyst Partners and Icon Ventures, and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

About Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Major League Baseball is the best-attended sport in North America, and since 2004, MLB has enjoyed its best-attended seasons in the history of the game, with each regular season eclipsing the 73 million mark. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB currently features record levels of labor peace, competitive balance and industry revenues, as well as the most comprehensive drug-testing program in American professional sports. MLB remains committed to making an impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world, perpetuating the sport’s larger role in society and permeating every facet of baseball’s business, marketing and community relations endeavors. With the continued success of MLB Advanced Media and MLB Network, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America’s National Pastime and a truly global game.

CPL provides significant economic boost of over $102m to host countries

Fort Lauderhill, Florida: The Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) continued its upward trajectory in 2016 with the world’s fastest growing T20 tournament contributing a significant economic boost of over USD $102,670,565across each of the seven host territories; Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago and Lauderhill, Florida.

The economic impact to the region has shown a staggering rise in recent years from $43,710,638 (in 2014) to $76,255,962 (2015).

The Hero CPL commissioned SMG Insight/YouGov for the third successive year to conduct an Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Hero CPLT20 Tournament which took place between 29 June – 7 August 2016.

The purpose of the EIA was to assess the Total Economic Impact for the Caribbean economy of staging such a high profile and successful event across each of the six Caribbean host countries, as well as Florida, as a direct consequence of hosting the event.

Independent research analysis was carried out at each of the venues with 15,399 attendees participating covering a range of topics based on the value of their visitor spend and length of stay in each specific country.

This year marked the fourth edition for the biggest party in sport, and the figures released on Tuesday, 6 December made for positive viewing and wrapped up a fine year as the Hero CPL has firmly established itself as the number one sporting event in the Caribbean.

The EIA is measured by multiples of three key areas; spend by the organisers and tournament suppliers, visitor spend on transport and accommodation and media value during TV and digital media Broadcasts.

*Each of the host countries benefited to a sizable financial windfall which is broken down as follows; Barbados ($15,878,628), Guyana ($15,447,309), Jamaica ($11,151,017), St. Kitts & Nevis ($22,722,350), St. Lucia ($10,853,052), Trinidad & Tobago ($14,034,964) and Lauderhill, Florida ($12,583,246). For a full breakdown by country please see below.

The economy of finals host St. Kitts & Nevis was the most notable winner overall and the combined total included the organiser spend plus the visitor spend multiplied by the media spend to make the total economic impact figure.

This helped the Federation generate an economic value of over $22,722,350 over the course of the four home St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots’ pool matches in Warner Park, Basseterre, as well as the finals week itself, highlighting a significant windfall for countries who host the finals.

With the addition of Central Broward Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida, the staging of the final round of pool matches, which were held between 28-31 July, helped generate a $12,583,246 boost into the wider Fort Lauderdale economy. The Florida swing of matches marked professional cricket’s first official entry into the United States of America, and saw in the region of 30,000 fans descend on Lauderhill which indicates that playing a select number of games outside the Caribbean has proven to be a success. Tourists who attended these matches also spent $4,751,872 in the local economy.

The Hero CPL by numbers – 2016 season at a glance:

• 248,856 fans attended all 34 matches
• 2,425 jobs were created locally
• 21,924 hotel rooms were filled in the region during the ‘quiet’ season
• CPL tourists spent $20,467,593 as a result of travelling to and within the region for the tournament, representing a 31% increase from 2015
• Over 134,000,000 fans watched the 2016 campaign (including 82,000,000 from India)
• A further 5,300,000 fans accessed the biggest party in sport through Facebook Live
• CPL organisers spent and invested $12,162,173 into the 2016 CPLT20 tournament host economies, representing an 18% increase from the previous year
• The 2016 tournament generated $30,916,080 in media value, a 73% increase from 2015

*2016 HERO CPL ECONOMIC BREAKDOWN (alphabetical order):

BARBADOS: The total economic benefit for the Barbados economy was the second highest arising from this year’s tournament, with $15,878,628 overall pumped into the island. There was a 22 percent increase by the CPL organisers to $1,709,585 from last year, while the visitor spend was $1,661,382. The shirt sponsorship deal with Barbados Tourist Board helped the island generate $7,788,308 in media value, marking a considerable 128 percent increase from 2015. With a TV audience of 13.8 million for Tridents’ home matches, in all 24,730 fans attended matches in the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown during the 2016 season.

 

GUYANA: The Guyanese economy reaped a $15,447,309 windfall from the staging of its four pool matches in Providence Stadium in 2016, with the total contribution from the Hero CPL amounting to $1,200,408. The overall visitor spend for the 2016 runners up was fractionally down by 4 percent to $2,306,392, however there were gains for the Guyana Tourism Authority whose shirt sponsorship deal has almost trebled its media value since 2014 from $2,123,005 to $5,978,951 in 2016. Hosting CPLT20 in Guyana created 349 local jobs and filled 2,295 hotel room nights. With a combined TV audience of 9.23 million for the four Guyana Amazon Warriors’ home matches, in all 50,304 fans attended matches at Providence Stadium during the 2016 season.

JAMAICA: In total, the island of Jamaica benefited to the tune of $11,151,017 from the staging of this year’s Hero CPL pool matches in Sabina Park, Kingston. The total spend by the organisers was $1,661,721, while the visitor spend as a result of fans travelling to and within the island increased by 25 percent this year to $2,984,536. The Tallawahs, led by the charismatic Chris Gayle, regained the title they had previously won in 2013. Hosting CPLT20 in Jamaica created 335 local jobs and filled 3,085 hotel room nights. With a combined TV audience of 23 million for the four Tallawahs’ home matches, in all 43,068 fans attended matches at Sabina Park during the 2016 season.

LAUDERHILL, FLORIDA: The 2016 tournament was a landmark one for the Hero CPL as it embarked on an ambitious inaugural foray into mainland USA. In all, six matches were hosted in Central Broward Stadium which generated $12,583,246 into the local economy. The Hero CPL invested $1,668,151 with the combined visitor spend of $4,751,872 being the highest in this year’s tournament overall with in the region of 30,000 descending on Broward County internationally as well as from as far north New York, especially, and as far west as Texas and Los Angeles. With a TV audience of 12.7 million for the matches in Central Broward Stadium, in the region of 30,000 fans attended all six matches during the 2016 season.

ST. KITTS & NEVIS: Despite the Patriots’ failure to reach the knockout stages, there were significant economic positives for Hero CPL finals hosts St. Kitts & Nevis. The cumulative economic benefit to the local economy arising from the staging of the finals amounted to $22,722,350, making it the significantly highest beneficiaries from the 2016 competition. The investment by the CPL amounted to a 22 percent increase to $1,664,540, while the total visitors spend saw a 12 percent increase from the 2015 season to $3,690,911. The media value from the eight combined matches (factoring TV and digital brand exposure, tourism imagery and verbal mentions) jumped by 70 percent to $8,262,632. Hosting CPLT20 in the Federation created 240 local jobs and filled 3,899 hotel room nights. With a combined TV audience of 37 million for the four Patriots’ home matches and the Hero CPL finals, in all 35,124 fans attended matches at Warner Park during the 2016 season.

ST. LUCIA: It was a positive year for St. Lucia, on and off the field, with the Zouks reaching the Hero CPL finals for the first time. In all, the total economic impact was $10,893,052 with the investment by the tournament organisers amounting to $1,641,143. There was a substantial 36 percent increase on the total visitor spend throughout the island while the media value and tourism board exposure increased by a staggering 107 percent, helped by a shirt sponsorship deal with the St. Lucia Tourist Board. Hosting CPLT20 in St. Lucia created 261 local jobs and filled 2,237 hotel room nights. With a combined TV audience of 9.4 million for the four Zouks home matches, in all 25,962 fans attended matches at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium during the 2016 season.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: The Total Economic Impact for Trinidad & Tobago in 2016 was $14,034,964. The organisers invested $2,616,625, a figure which was down by 8 percent, while the total visitor spend was also down 25 percent to $2,915,486 from the 2015 figure when it hosted the Hero CPL finals. In addition, the total media value was down by 46 percent to $2,970,740 for the same reason. Hosting CPLT20 in Port of Spain, Trinidad created 512 local jobs and filled 3,297 hotel room nights. With a combined TV audience of 10.5 million for TKR’s four home matches, in all 45,072 fans attended matches at The Queen’s Park Oval during the 2016 season.

ABOUT THE HERO CARIBBEAN PREMIER LEAGUE:

The HERO Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere. Over 149 million fans watched the 2016 season, combining broadcast and digital viewership, to make it one of the fastest growing leagues in world cricket. Jamaica Tallawahs are the current Hero CPL champions and the other competing teams are Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St. Lucia Zouks, St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Trinbago Knight Riders.
ABOUT SMG:
SMG Insight is the specialist global sports and sponsorship arm of YouGov. A leading provider of media and consumer research and consulting to global sports rights holders, sponsors and investors.

US open is a big incentive for US cricketers, Says Shoaib Mohammad

By Ubaid Awan

Karachi: Pakistan’s former test opener Shoaib Mohammad praises Cricket Council USA to held another wonderful episode of US open cricket tournament from 24th to 27th November 2016 at Broward county stadium Fort Lauderhill, Florida, USA.

Video massage is here,

 

Ind-WI series to boost cricket passion in USA: MAQ

Staff reporter

Fort Lauderhill, FLORIDA:  International cricket has returned to the USA, after a long time, with India and the reigning world Twenty20 champions, the West Indies are locking horns in a couple of Twenty20 games at the Central Broward Regional Park here on Saturday andSunday. Terming it a welcome development, the chairman of the Cricket Council of USA (CCUSA), M. A. Qureshi hopes that this series would give boost to the upcoming annual T20 event, the US Open 2016, adding that this step was need of hour for the progression of cricket in this region. “We need big matches like these to take place in the USA so that we could inspire kids to take on this game seriously. This is the only way we can build the sport”, said M. A. Qureshi.

 

M. A. Qureshi added that his annual cricket tournament, US Open has been a successful event not only in creating awareness about the game but also in encouraging hundreds of kids, who are now attending cricket camps and wanting to play the sport. “The CCUSA provided that impetus the game needed in America and it is great that now the International Cricket Council has taken interest in this region as well. These two games will go a long way in game’s development”, hoped M. A. Qureshi

 

“It will of course boost the upcoming US open as well which is to be held on the same venue”, added M. A. Qureshi

 

The US Open T20 cricket tournament will be held between November 24 and 27 this year at the Central Broward Regional Park in which a number of international stars will feature along with local players.

This year’s US open, M. A. Qureshi said, is different as it got the backing of the International Cricket Council too. “Preparations for this very popular domestic T20 tournament have been year round and this year is expected to be the best in terms of the organisation and the quality of the cricket to be played”, concluded M. A. Qureshi

Mamammad Qureshi president of CCUSA (left) in the company of Mohammed Markatia (right) director of the board of CCUSA with Dr. M.V. Sridhar the operations manager of the Board of Control for cricket in India (BCCI) at the Central Broward regional Park, Florida.

 

 

We are on-course to write history in USA cricket: MAQ

 

Staff reporter

Fort Lauderhill, FLORIDA: The previous news item highlighted the fragmented cricket community in the USA which is believed to be one of the hindrances in the expansion of the game in the USA.

https://eworldsports.com/2016/08/07/icc-wants-unification-of-u-s-a-cricket-community/

On the other side the recent happening of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) games in Florida is seen as a ray of hope by local organisers.

1. M. A. Qureshi, is one of the cricket organisers and the chairman of the Cricket Council USA, has been staging events in the USA for years now and claims to be the one who introduced the T20 format to the USA audience. “Cricket council USA has been promoting cricket in the USA for more than 16 years now and has invested millions of dollars into the efforts to promote the game in the country”, M. A. Qureshi said

“We introduced T20 cricket to the USA people way back in 1999 at the Dania Beach in Florida and since then staging tournaments across the country. In fact we have had over 100 tournaments since then”, Qureshi added

Mr. Qureshi, known as MAQ, is a Florida-based businessman and his passion for the game of cricket prompted him to establish an entity with the name of Cricket Council USA, under which he has organised number of cricket tournaments across the USA. MAQ recalled that about eight years back he staged a star-studded tournament in Fort Lauderhill, Florida in which former Indian, Pakistan and West Indian players took part. “On the memorial day weekend in 2008, the Cricket Council USA initiated a T20 event with the name of MAQ-T20 at the Broward stadium. We spent about  $1.4 million on the event in which former stalwarts like Javed Miandad, Muhammad Azharuddin, Richard Richardson along with a number of regional players participated”, MAQ recalled

“There was an opening ceremony of the tournament too which was also held at the BROWARD county cricket stadium”, MAQ said

“From the following year, the event was renamed to US Open Cricket and it’s a regular annual spectacle since then”, MAQ added

MAQ was of the view that recent interest of the ICC, in the region, would give impetus to the development of the game in the USA. “Recent matches of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) received overwhelming response. I believe the ICC’s measures are steps in the right direction for the betterment of cricket in this part of the world”, MAQ opined

MAQ also touched upon the upcoming edition of the US Open Cricket which, he said, has the backing of the ICC as well. “This year’s event will be held between November 24th and November 27th and a number of international stars will be featuring in the tournament.”, MAQ said

“I can’t share all the names at the moment but Herschelle Gibbs, Hassan Raza and a lot of other players will be in action this year”, MAQ added

“US Open offers the cash purse of $100,000 which is the highest prize-money in the history of the cricketing events in North America”, MAQ concluded

Cricket:ICC-USACA stalemate deepens

Staff Report

Fort Lauderhill, FLORIDA: The ongoing impasse between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the USA Cricket Association (USACA) has taken another twist as the USACA doesn’t want to leave its ground. In the recent meeting the ICC extended the sanctions imposed on the USACA for another year and meanwhile approved the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) games followed by a series of T20 international matches between India and the West Indies at the Fort Lauderhill stadium in Florida on August 26 and 27.

The USACA, which claims to be the ‘legitimate’ body to govern cricketing affairs in the USA, is not thrilled at the recent measures by the ICC. The President of USACA, Gladstone Dainty is of the opinion that sanctioning events without taking the USACA into confidence was not an appropriate way adopted by the ICC.  “The USACA welcomes the T20 matches between India and West Indies however it does not agree with the ICC’s current position on the sanctioning procedure, nor does the USACA agrees that the ICC board could unilaterally change the process, negotiated by the ICC and USACA a year ago”, Gladstone Dainty said in a statement.

Since the USACA was suspended in June 2015, the ICC has sanctioned three events – three Cricket All Star series games in November 2015, six CPL Games in July 2016, and now two West Indies India T20 games which will be played later this month.

“The USACA may be suspended from membership in the ICC but it remains the only national and nationally elected governing body for cricket within the United States”, Dainty maintained

Gladstone Dainty also maintained that the revenue, generated from the three events, was ‘rightfully’ belonged to the USACA. “The USACA expects the ICC to deposit the money received from these games in escrow, until the sanctioning dispute is resolved. It is our expectation that this money would be used for the development of amateur cricket in the USA, which has been our mission since we were established in 1965”, Dainty said

The USACA president also negated the impression that they were against the upcoming T20 game, added that the USACA board passed a resolution, sanctioning the games at a board meeting on August 4, 2016.

 

“The USACA is working with the ICC to help resolve the current stalemate, while maintaining its rights as the National Governing Body for cricket in the USA”, Dainty concluded

ICC approves WI India T20i series in USA

Dubai: The ICC today confirmed it has sanctioned two T20 International matches between India and the West Indies to be held at Fort Lauderdale in the USA on 27 and 28 August 2016.

In light of USACA’s current suspension from membership of the ICC, and under the ICC’s approved cricket regulations, the responsibility of determining whether cricket matches staged in the USA should be sanctioned lies with the ICC. Decisions around sanctioning domestic or international cricket will be taken in a manner that supports the ICC’s continued efforts to develop the sport of cricket in the USA for the benefit of the entire cricket community there.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “The ICC has approved these matches because we believe they can play a significant role in the long term development of cricket in the USA and our ongoing efforts to unify the USA cricket community.

“Having the ICC World T20 Champions playing India in Florida will undoubtedly inspire both existing and new fans and players, but perhaps more importantly, the sanction fees will be invested into the ICC’s ongoing work to lay a sustainable foundation for the development of cricket in America.

“This, along with ongoing investment from the ICC to help grow the sport in the USA will be used for specific programmes as part of the ICC’s long-term strategic framework in the USA. In line with this strategy we are working with our stakeholders in the USA on the development of a new constitution and governance structure that the entire USA cricket community can unify behind. We are absolutely focused on creating a sustainable structure to allow cricket to flourish at all levels in the US.”

Ben Kavenagh of ICC Americas explains how the ICC and sanction fee investment is having an impact in the US: “We are working at a number of levels across the sport in the US at the moment including facilitating events such as the ICC World Cricket League tournament that will be held in Los Angeles, as well as the preparation of the US team and the development of facilities. We are also focusing on coach education that will support growth of local systems and we are about to launch an introductory cricket programme across a number of American universities in partnership with NIRSA.

“We will also look to explore how a proportion of the money can be invested locally in Florida around the matches through school and community engagement, but it is important that this is part of a wider plan for cricket there and not just a one-off exercise.”

David Richardson added: “We understand that the USA cricket community is thrilled at the prospect of international cricket being staged in the USA and that this venture has the support of USACA as well as all of our other stakeholders in the USA. We hope this will act as a further catalyst in our attempts to galvanise the governance of the sport in the USA.”

US Open T20 to commence from Nov 24: MAQ

By Ubaid ur Rehman Awan

Fort Laudardale, FLORIDA: The US open cricket tournament will be held from November 24th to November 27th at the central Broward county stadium in Fort Lauderhill. This was announced by the chairman of the Cricket Council of USA, M. A. Qureshi while addressing a ceremony here on August 2, 2016.

1. A. Qureshi, while addressing the audience, informed that the T20 cricket was introduced in the USA by the Cricket Council USA and today the game is being played in various states of the USA.

“We didn’t have a proper facility in the beginning but we are thankful to Broward County which provided us with a topnotch stadium”, said Qureshi

“We staged the first T20 event in 2008 with the name of MAQ T20 however later it was renamed to US Open”, added Qureshi, who said the event is a regular annual feature since then.

 

1. A. Qureshi hoped that in this edition of the US Open, 28 teams, consist of local and foreign players, would be seen in action. He also has a plan to cope with the weather condition this time around.

“This year, there will be reserve days to compensate washout games”, said Qureshi

Ubaid Awan along with Ex Pakistan’s test cricketer Mansoor Akhtar and US cricketer Zishawn Qureshi at U.S open cricket press conference at Broward county stadium, Fort Laudardale, FL 

Meanwhile, the manager of the $100,000 US Open 2016, Sufyan said that in the past editions the likes of Shoaib Ak
htar, Sanath Jaysuria, Rajesh Sharma, Hershel Gibbs and Samuels etc had participated, and a number of international stars are being invited this years as well.

“We will soon release the names of the international stars from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, England, South Africa and the West Indies”, said Sufyan

The official of the Broward County stadium, Dan West also spoke on the occasion. He said, with the efforts of the Cricket Council USA, the game has been progressing day by day. The recent matches of the Caribbean Premier League acted as a catalyst and now the local fans are eagerly waiting for the WI-India series.

Gordon Tred Gold, specially come down from English county Yorkshire, shared his passion for cricket and recalled the double ton by Zaheer Abbas at the Edgbaston and his partnership with Mansoor Akhtar. He added that the current era is of the T20 and US open is touching new heights in the USA.

Two women representatives of the Florida House of Representatives were also present. They assured the Cricket Council USA of their support.

Former Pakistan Test cricketer Mansoor Akhtar also attended the ceremony.

Ubiad Awan along with MAQ Qureshi at Cricket council office in Florida.