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New Zealand Cricket's Power Play? Black Caps Stake Claim In Major League Cricket

Soumyajit Dutta

New Zealand Cricket and MLC To Collab [Source: @Rnawa31888/X]New Zealand Cricket and MLC To Collab [Source: @Rnawa31888/X]

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has announced a landmark partnership with U.S.-based True North Sports Ventures (TNS) to launch a new Major League Cricket (MLC) franchise, slated to debut in the 2027 season. 

As the first collaboration between an ICC full member and a professional T20 league franchise, the deal grants NZC a foundation equity stake in TNS, with options to expand its investment by 2025. 

NZC's Strategic Alliance And Vision for Global Growth

The franchise, targeting markets like Toronto or Atlanta, will receive NZC’s high-performance support, coaching expertise, and integration into its domestic talent ecosystem. TNS, co-owned by MLC founders Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan, also plans a second expansion team by 2031.

The yet-unnamed franchise aims to capitalize on North America’s 25 million-strong cricket fan base, buoyed by the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.  MLC, which holds “List A” status, currently features six teams with stars like Trent Boult, Pat Cummins, and Rachin Ravindra, and plans to expand to eight teams by 2027. 

NZC’s involvement extends to infrastructure development and youth pathways, aligning with the league’s semi-professional minor league system. The franchise’s formal unveiling is expected later this year.

Exciting Alliance To Tap Into The North American Cricket Boom

NZC CEO Scott Weenink described the partnership as a “unique and exciting milestone,” emphasizing its role in diversifying revenue streams and expanding New Zealand’s global cricketing footprint. 

“As franchise cricket grows globally, NZC needs to adapt to seize strategic opportunities that ensure the sustainability of our cricket network,” he said, as quoted by NZC's official website.

Weenink highlighted MLC’s world-class stature and TNS’s investor group, which includes the San Francisco 49ers’ 49ers Enterprises, known for ownership of Leeds United.

Sameer Mehta, co-founder of MLC and Willow TV, praised NZC’s resource-efficient success model. “TNS is delighted to partner with NZC, an organisation admired for its sustained success despite limited financial and playing resources.” He added that NZC’s expertise would elevate MLC’s quality and accelerate cricket’s growth in North America.