Long Island, New York – Alan*, one of Long Island’s 8 million residents, is a die-hard New York Yankees fan and avid consumer of sports. What sets him apart, however, is his clever wisdom in a safe mega sporting occasion held in his woods area.
A day after New York Island hosted arguably the biggest event in its history: the India vs Pakistan cricket match at the T20 2024 World Cup, Alan answered a few questions as part of Al Jazeera’s informal investigation into the tournament in the affluent village. Neck, about 8 km (15 miles) north of the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, home of the T20 World Cup in New York.
“I heard that they installed a transitional stadium in Eisenhower Park, didn’t I?And haven’t I heard that there has been mass upheaval recently, as if the United States had defeated someone?Pakistan? It’s one of the biggest upheavals in the history of the sport. Yes, because it’s a big deal, right? Because it is evident that it is a big and strong team. And I guess the United States is not.
Most of the people Al Jazeera spoke to had never heard of cricket.
Mario*, a New York Mets baseball fan who works at a local supermarket, gave a typical answer: “I don’t know cricket. I don’t know what it is. I like baseball, but I don’t like cricket. I haven’t even heard of this sport.
For the first two weeks of the tournament, the temporary stadium in Nassau County was filled with fans from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Caribbean. Many of those cricket enthusiasts paid exorbitant prices for a single ticket: up to $10,000 for the India-Pakistan match.
And while the International Cricket Council (ICC) lights up the Empire State Building to try to interest Americans, the local reaction culminates in a slight bewilderment with a touch of curiosity.
Eisenhower Park is a huge expanse of greenery on the west side of Long Island. To say that it is huge is an understatement. Consisting of 3. 8 square kilometers (1. 5 square miles) of parks and recreational spaces, it is larger than the more famous Central Park, near Manhattan.
It is a sports destination. Amidst its lush fields and towering trees, it is home to 3 18-hole golf courses, 14 tennis courts, two NHL-sized indoor tracks, another track, an aquatic center, a gymnasium, two pickleball (paddle) courts, and a basketball court. A floodlit golf driving range, a petanque court and tables with checkers and inlaid chess sets. And its latest addition is a transitional cricket stadium.
The structure of the structure with a capacity for 35,000 seats and the structure in traffic did not go unnoticed.
“My parents in Westbury and we walked through Eisenhower Park and witnessed it built,” said Ross*, who has lived on Long Island her entire life.
“I didn’t know anything about it until I saw this stadium and then I read the history of India against Pakistan and all that craziness. Yesterday I picked up my parents at the airport, took them home, and saw tons of traffic on Zeckendorf Boulevard. , and we were talking about how the game went. Is it still like this now? Who won?
Zeckendorf Boulevard is less than five kilometers from the stadium. Ross must have run into a sea of green and blue, guilty of the “tons of traffic” as it passed by him.
Daniel*, a taxi driver, learned about the tournament from his brother, who was on Long Island to watch the game.
“The field was pretty crowded and he said, ‘This is crazy. ‘He saw so many people and was surprised. So I did my research and found that this was one of the most important events that has ever happened here on Long Island.
The structure is impressive, as is the atmosphere created by the fans. Loud applause and chants, as well as colourful reproductions of the teams’ shirts, provide a cheerful backdrop for the action that is easily comparable to any major cricket venue in the world.
“He’s loud, charismatic and funny,” Adil*, a Pakistani fan living in Long Island, Queens, told Al Jazeera after Pakistan’s victory over Canada.
“I’m a big baseball fan, but this is more of a laugh than a baseball game. “
Usman*, a native of Pakistan who had come from Boston to attend the game, agreed.
“It was good, quite strong. The music was perfect. The enthusiasts sang the game and especially when Babar [Azam] came in. “
But spreading this enthusiasm beyond the confines of the stadium bubble remains a challenge. The fact that the World Cup’s biggest event has caused a slight stir beyond the leafy confines of Eisenhower Park demonstrates the hurdles cricket will have to overcome to enter the U. S. market.
The tournament is broadcast in the United States on Willow TV, a subscription channel committed to cricket and largely aimed at the Indian and Pakistani expat community, making it an ideal place for a casual audience to watch the matches live.
Michaela, from Trinidad, works at a chic bar in Great Neck Village. He serves a drink to Bruno, a pharmacist who grew up in Queens near Citi Field, the Mets’ homeland.
Michaela explains how popular cricket is in her home country and how Trinidad has produced one of the game’s batsmen, Brian Lara.
Bruno is intrigued.
“I lived in Little Village and [some] guys played cricket at Flushing Meadow Park,” Bruno said.
“I used to watch them, but I have no idea how to play. I was interested [in cricket] and wanted to be taught how to play it, but then I thought, ‘There’s a lot going on there [in the game]. ‘
This is the wonderful challenge of cricket: to convince Americans that this game is incomprehensible to newbies.
“I’ve enjoyed watching a bit of cricket,” said Alan. I saw it on television. Unfortunately, I don’t understand it, so it’s a bit tricky to follow. But I suppose it would have piqued me a little. “
The ICC showcase featured popular American sports YouTuber and podcaster, Jimmy O’Brien, in the commentary to serve as a bridge for local fans.
“Cricket terms are tailored to a foreign language but they have fundamentals, so the same thing can mean anything else, and that can be very confusing [for American fans],” O’Brien said.
“When someone doesn’t know baseball but tries to play cricket with baseball words, it’s like a broken translator. It will be helpful to have someone who knows both sports and sports in terms of baseball.
“And then, keep it very simple. Just say, “Most races are winners. “Let’s start there. And then say, “Oh, and they play until they come out” and slowly build the blocks. Sometimes, cricket enthusiasts like to start with BPN just for fun. And it’s crazy.
Nearly everyone interviewed in Great Neck Village agreed that American sports enthusiasts love a winning home team. The United States’ strong start to the tournament gives them the possibility of advancing to the Super Eights stage, even if they lose to India.
Wednesday’s game will be the last to be played at Nassau County Stadium before it is dismantled, shrouded by surrounding vegetation and normalcy returns to Eisenhower Park.
If the U. S. succeeds, it may be the tool needed to keep cricket from fading from the local consciousness.
Neither Bruno nor Alan knew there was an American team until the victory over Pakistan. When he was told that India would be his next opponent, Alan’s eyes lit up.
“Really? Is there a chance that they will win? Wow, it’s crazy. Go to the United States! »
Bruno is now more than angry.
“Are they going to do it again? Now I will. Now I will.
*Last names withheld on request.