Major League Baseball (MLC), the emerging T20 tournament in the United States, is reportedly planning to expand the number of teams from six to eight by 2027. According to the latest news reports, Major League Baseball is exploring the possibility of moving into Canadian cities such as Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Toronto.

Major League Cricket is officially sanctioned by USA Cricket. The T20 League features top international players, bringing high quality T20 cricket to the United States. The MLC consists of six teams: Los Angeles Cavaliers, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings and Washington Liberty.

We have a choice before us – Satyan Gajwani, Co-Founder, MLC

MLC co-founder Satyan Gajwani will helm one of the franchises, while other co-founders Vijay Srinivasan and Sameer Mehta will lead the other franchise. Gajwani said that while there are options, no firm decision has been made and the final choice will be made closer to launch.

“We have several options in front of us. I don’t think we will make any choice now,” Galvani told ESPNcricinfo. “That was actually a decision we made on the eve of launch.”

Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Toronto shortlisted for MLC expansion plans

Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Toronto, which have large South Asian communities, are considering expanding Major League Cricket. A final decision on which cities will be included is expected later this year.

Key factors for expansion include market potential and local government support for stadium infrastructure. MLC officials recently visited Chicago and were reportedly impressed with local support. There are plans to visit other cities in the coming months.

In Major League Cricket, three of the six teams are owned by IPL franchise owners: Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. The Seattle franchise has been linked with Delhi Capitals.

San Francisco and Washington are not affiliated with any IPL team and have partnerships with Cricket Victoria and Cricket New South Wales respectively. As the league expands, MLC is expected to introduce more games this season and extend the game time in a home and away format.

There are a lot of people in America who love cricket – Satyan Gajwani

Satyan Gajwani highlighted the importance of growing cricket in the United States, pointing out that there are cities with large cricket-loving populations. He acknowledged that the U.S. sports market is highly competitive, with the NBA and NFL operating in 28 cities.

“There are a lot of people who love cricket in many cities in the United States. But our goal is to grow the game, and that means growing the fan base,” Ghajwani said. “The United States is the largest sports market in the world. It’s Competition is also fierce and staying relevant will be a challenge.

“But I think the U.S. sports economy is pretty strong. The NBA and NFL are in 28 cities. We’re in six cities now. We still have a lot of room for growth in the medium to long term.”

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