Westerners, particularly those from Europe and the US, usually seem genuinely shocked when presented with the following fact: cricket is the second most popular sport in the world after soccer. The latter has around four billion fans, while the number of spectators who enjoy cricket is estimated to be 2.5 billion.
Nevertheless, cricket still struggles to gain traction in many countries, as millions consider it a minor sport. But that may change in the future, thanks to the innovative technologies that will boost the sport’s popularity and help it enter new markets.
Cricket’s Road to Popularity
The first documented game of cricket took place in 17th century England. What seemed to be a sport reserved for British royalty quickly spread and became popular in many other countries (mainly those influenced by the British Empire).
The epicenter of cricket shifted from the UK to India and other countries in South Asia. The sport also became extremely popular in Australasia, southern Africa, and the West Indies. Many Commonwealth countries consider cricket the #1 sport, surpassing soccer in some places.
Cricket has had its obstacles in the past, many of which resulted in it being less popular in Europe and several other parts of the world. The main reason was that cricket was perceived as an elitist sport and merely a pastime for the rich and powerful. Soccer, on the other hand, was the game of the people, enjoyed by all.
There has been a gradual evolution of cricket over the years, with several new formats diverging from the standard. For example, the style played in the Indian Premier League is called Twenty20 and is less time-consuming than test cricket. Of course, we shouldn’t forget about One-Day Internationals (ODI), a shorter form of the beloved sport.
What’s Next for Cricket?
Nowadays, it seems that the areas where cricket is popular are already established, and there’s little to no chance it will catch on in other countries. However, that may change in the near future thanks to the novel technologies that have the power to find a place for cricket in countries such as the US.
Jump.trade, a blockchain-powered platform that features NFTs with attached utilities and real-time use cases, is a project that started turning many heads. But what does that mean? Essentially, it offers a form of virtual cricket called Meta Cricket League, which is based on the real thing and allows players to earn, buy, and sell cricket-related NFTs.
There are already cricket video games, and none of them managed to establish the sport around the world, so what makes Jump.trade different? How can it help cricket gain recognition?
Well, one aspect that makes it more lucrative compared to others is its play-to-earn (P2E) aspect. In other words, cricket fans and games will have a chance to make a profit while enjoying immersing themselves in the sport. This is a good enough incentive to attract others to learn more about cricket and test their skills and luck via Jump.trade.
Play-to-earn model isn’t new, as there are many game developers exploring the possibilities to incorporate P2E and create sustainable ecosystems that will help the best and most competent players profit. Make sure to research some of the best P2E games to explore alternative earning opportunities.
Final Thoughts: Days of Cricket Are Yet to Come
There’s a reason why cricket is big in some countries. It has become a fast-paced, exciting game, with many players being real superstars. Even though projects such as Jump.trade might not immediately result in recruiting new players from non-cricket parts of the world, it will be a big step toward the popularization of cricket, primarily in the US and Europe, but also in many other markets. With more people interested in the game, there’s always a chance of countries doing more to introduce professional cricket and become talent pools.
