Coming to America: Cricket and Rugby

Moderator: Mark Donaldson

Panelists: Jonathan Atkeison, Mihir Warty, Todd Myers, Jarrod Kimber

Two internationally renowned sports, cricket and rugby, are betting on the appeal of a World Cup to break into the American market. But how effective is this strategy? And what can be done strategically to get this bet to succeed? The World Cup approach relies on a significant upfront investment with considerable risk, but potentially high rewards in the world's largest sports market. This panel will explore how USA Cricket approached the 2024 World Cup, and how USA Rugby is planning for the 2031 (Men's) and 2033 (Women's) World Cups. It will synthesize learnings and best practices as well as what's next for both of these governing bodies, and the growth of these sports in the U.S. from the grassroots to professional levels.