LA Knight Riders Launch Nationwide Cricket Academies in USA With Cricmax

Knight Riders Sports, owners of cricket franchises across four continents and one of the sport's most recognised global brands, has partnered with CricMax Connect as the Official Cricket Development Partner of the Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR).

The partnership, announced today by LAKR and CricMax Connect, will create a nationwide network of Knight Riders Cricket Academies focused on nurturing youth cricket across the United States.

More than $300 million has already been invested in professional cricket infrastructure in the United States through Major League Cricket (MLC), and momentum around the sport continues to grow. Most recently, the Los Angeles Knight Riders, in collaboration with Fairplex, broke ground on the Knight Riders Cricket Ground in Pomona, Los Angeles. The facility will become Southern California's first dedicated cricket venue and LAKR's official home ground for the 2026 MLC season.

The venue is scheduled to host seven matches, including LAKR's first three home fixtures from July 1 to July 5. Alongside infrastructure growth, building strong grassroots programs remains essential to developing a feeder system for professional leagues and encouraging young athletes to take up the sport.

With cricket gaining popularity among the 5.4 million-strong South Asian diaspora in the United States and beyond, the partnership aims to bridge the development gap by combining Knight Riders Sports' globally established franchise model with CricMax Connect's decade-long experience in community cricket. CricMax brings an established academy network, township partnerships, and its role as the official cricket partner of the PlayLA Olympic youth initiative.

The collaboration further strengthens CricMax Connect's position as a key contributor to cricket's expansion in the United States ahead of the sport's return to the Olympic Games at LA28.

As part of their long-term vision, the Los Angeles Knight Riders have also unveiled the Knight Riders Cricket Grounds at Fairplex in Pomona, Los Angeles County, as their official home venue for the 2026 season.

The venue will host major cricket matches this season and represents an important milestone in building a dedicated cricketing base in Southern California. Beyond matchdays, the facility reflects the Knight Riders' continued investment in transforming Los Angeles into a leading cricket destination in the United States, supporting both professional competition and grassroots growth.

Under the agreement, the two organisations will jointly develop Knight Riders Cricket Academies nationwide. These academies will be supported by professional coaching programs, masterclass clinics, and talent showcase pathways designed to give young cricketers direct exposure to elite training methods. CricMax Connect's proprietary technology platform, Quixera, will support talent identification and scouting across the network.

Venky Mysore, CEO of Knight Riders Sports, said the partnership marks an important step toward strengthening cricket's grassroots ecosystem in the country.

"This partnership with CricMax Connect is a strategic step towards building a strong grassroots foundation for cricket in the United States. By combining our global ecosystem with their community-led expertise, we are creating a clear pathway from youth development to the professional game. As the sport grows in the United States, our focus is on nurturing talent, strengthening the ecosystem, and ensuring long-term, sustainable growth for cricket in America."

Vinay Bhimjani, CEO of CricMax Connect and former CEO of USA Cricket, said the collaboration would help address long-standing development gaps in American cricket.

"We've spent over a decade building cricket from the ground up in American communities, coaching youth, partnering with townships, and earning our place as the exclusive cricket partner of PlayLA and the LA28 Olympics. This partnership with the Knight Riders and their global platform will allow us to combine our scouting expertise and technology infrastructure with their franchise reach to deliver what American cricket has long needed - a complete ecosystem that develops talent at the grassroots level and connects it to the professional game."