Groundbreaking begins on new LA2028 Olympics cricket stadium

(22 Apr 2026) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4654083 ASSOCIATED PRESS Pomona, California - 22 April 2026 1. Heavy moving vehicles on the site of the new cricket stadium 2. Rose petals and cricket bats after a Hindu ritual blessing the new cricket site construction 3. A sign for the new site and the upcoming Los Angeles Knight Riders cricket team 4. Venky Mysore, CEO of Knight Riders Sports speaks to attendees 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Venky Mysore, CEO of Knight Riders Sports: ++ PARTIALLY COVERED ++ "So we are building a world class cricket field here. 2028 July, you could see at least six countries vying for medals in cricket for the first time in the world knows how long. So that's what is unique about what's happening today and what's in store." 6. Venky Mysore, CEO of Knight Riders Sports speaks to attendees 7. Attendees enter the groundbreaking on a red carpet 8. Knight Riders team cricketers watch the ceremony 9. A sign for the groundbreaking 10. SOUNDBITE (English) Venky Mysore, CEO of Knight Riders Sports: ++ PARTIALLY COVERED ++ "We've never done this before because in most other places it exists. We just rent, play, and go. This year we're going to build one. And that means that there are many other types of events, cricket events, that are going to be attracted to this venue to come in here and start walking through it. So that's the excitement of what we're feeling right now." 11. Knight Riders cricketer Shadley van Schalkwyk is seen on a screen at the ceremony 12. SOUNDBITE (English) Shadley van Schalkwyk, Knight Riders cricketer: ++ PARTIALLY COVERED ++ "It is groundbreaking, I think that's the most exciting part for me as a player. I think we've always needed a place to be called home and this will be called home for us. So it's exciting, very exciting." 13. Cricket bats 14. Hindu offering near the groundbreaking 15. SOUNDBITE (English) Nilesh Bharadwaj, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir temple: ++ PARTIALLY COVERED ++ "But when we hear that the cricket stadium is coming over here right in our backyard, you can't be more excited than this. It's awesome, awesome, awesome. We love it." 16. Hindu figures at the groundbreaking STORYLINE: Cricket is set to return to the Olympics in 2028. Construction has begun on a new 10,000-seat stadium in Pomona, California, which will serve as the venue for men’s and women’s cricket. This marks a significant milestone for cricket in the U.S., aiming to capture a mainstream American audience. Despite challenges, including management issues within USA Cricket, investors remain optimistic. They view the stadium as a springboard for cricket's future in the U.S., offering a chance to engage new fans. Local cricket fans, players and coaches hope this new-found visibility will help carve out new pathways for homegrown talent. =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected]. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...