The cutting-edge 34,000-seat modular Nassau County International Cricket Stadium which will host eight ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 matches in New York has today been unveiled.
The project in Eisenhower Park, Nassau County, 30 miles east of Manhattan, has started this week, with site fencing erected and work to the outfield now underway. The stadium, which will be completed within three months, will have a capacity for 34,000 fans across premium and general admission seating as well as VIP and hospitality suites, including a party deck and cabanas to host the biggest cricket carnival spectacle ever.
Though a world first for cricket, modular stadiums are used regularly in other sports, including Formula 1, Golf and the Olympic Games providing fans with every facility they would expect at a global sporting event.
The stadium has been designed by Populous, a world-class sports and entertainment venue architecture firm, that has designed some of the world’s most iconic stadia, including Yankee Stadium in New York; the world’s largest cricket stadium, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad; and English Premier League venue, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. In New York, they are the architect of record for both the New York Yankees and New York Mets. Arena Event Services brings expertise from other global sporting events and will provide and install the stadium infrastructure whilst the USA based international sports procurement firm The Parker Company will project manage the build on behalf of T20 Inc.
The venue which is a stone’s throw away from New York City will have a dedicated fan zone with a variety of food and beverage outlets and global leading media and broadcast areas, promising to provide a world-class experience for all guests at the biggest ICC event ever.
Sustainability is key to the project with the grandstands used for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix being repurposed for the T20 World Cup venue with work on the infrastructure scheduled to commence in February.
The wicket, which is a drop-in square – the type used around the world including at Adelaide Oval and Eden Park – is currently being curated in Florida and will be transported by road to New York in early May. The development of the pitches is being undertaken by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions, led by renowned Adelaide Oval Head Curator Damian Hough, while the outfield is being delivered by the LandTek Group, US-based sports turf experts who have worked with the New York Yankees and New York Mets as well as Inter Miami CF on their stadium and training fields.
Fans will have their opportunity to be a part of history by attending a festival of cricket and seeing the world’s best players in action, with eight ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 matches hosted at the venue between 3 and 12 June including one of the sport’s biggest rivalries India against Pakistan, and host USA versus India.
ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said: “We are excited to be unveiling the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. It is an incredibly important milestone in the lead up to the biggest ICC event ever, with work commencing on the stadium which will be able to accommodate 34,000 cricket fans.
“We are partnering with world-class suppliers to deliver the modular stadium to ensure that players and fans can enjoy an unforgettable experience across the eight matches in New York in June this year.”
Heartbreaker
The cricket pitch is 20.12 meters (22 yards) in length and 3.05 meters (3.33 yards) in width. The length of 22 yards is considered a chain, which was used as a standard of measurement for land during the 18th century. The chain is 1/10th of a unit of measurement called furlong, which is the average length of land that a team of workers could plough in one day.
Screwtape
Abbas Ali Baig was the first Indian cricketer to be kissed during a Test match – When Abbas Ali Baig reached a half-century in the third Test match against Australia at the Brabourne Stadium in 1960, a pretty young girl ran all the way from the North Stand to greet the batsman. She kissed Baig on his cheek.