2022 MiLC Draft Set For May 12, Competition To Start On June 25th
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (May 5, 2022) – Minor League Cricket (MiLC) announced today that Toyota will return as title sponsor for its second season of play in 2022, with Sunoco signing on as presenting sponsor for America’s first and only nationwide T20 championship. MiLC also announced today that the draft for the 2022 season will take place on Thursday, May 12. Twenty-six teams will participate in the competition starting on Saturday, June 25, with over 200 games scheduled to take place this summer.
Toyota’s return as MiLC title sponsor follows their support of the inaugural season in 2021, with the championship won by the Silicon Valley Strikers last October. The Bay Area team, captained by Unmukt Chand, defeated the New Jersey Stallions at the final held in Morrisville, North Carolina.
Sunoco joins the Minor League Cricket family as the presenting partner for the 2022 season, to feature 500 players in games held nationwide across 20 cities, the largest cricket competition in the United States. Sunoco will be the Official Fuel and Official Convenience Store of Minor League Cricket.
“Following the most extensive tournament in American cricket history taking place successfully in 2021, we can’t wait to bring back an even stronger Toyota Minor League Cricket Championship presented by Sunoco in 2022,” said Justin Geale, Tournament Director, Minor League Cricket. “The support from Toyota and Sunoco for this league will strengthen the growth of cricket in communities across the country, with Minor League Cricket serving as a critical pathway to the USA National Team.”
“Toyota is proud to once again support Minor League Cricket this season as they continue to grow this exciting sport here in the United States,” said Darcey Rayner, Sponsorship Strategy, Integration & Activation, Toyota Motor North America. “After the success of last year’s season, we are excited to see the players and teams from across the country compete this summer for the Championship.”
“Sunoco is excited to partner with Minor League Cricket and support the sport’s continued growth across the country,” said Fred McConnell, Director of Marketing, Sunoco. “Sunoco knows how much the sport of cricket means to so many of our customers, and is proud to invest in the cricket community and its continued success.”
The Toyota Minor League Cricket Championship presented by Sunoco features the strongest cricketers across the country with each team roster including a selection of marquee professional players, priority domestic players, and a required number of U21 and U19 players to support the development of emerging talent for the United States National Teams. The MiLC draft on Thursday, May 12 can be followed via the MiLC Twitter handle @MiLCricket starting at 5pm ET.
Twenty-six teams will contest the 2022 MiLC season. Twenty-four teams return from the inaugural season, with the Chicago Tigers replacing the Chicago Catchers in the Central Division, while the Southern Division welcomes the Atlanta Lightning, with the Atlanta Param Veers departing and the Florida Beamers on hiatus for the 2022 season. Two other teams in the Central Division will feature name changes: the Austin Athletics will now be known as the Lone Star Athletics and the Irving Mustangs as the Dallas Mustangs.
The second season of MiLC will run for eight weeks of regular season action nationwide this summer. The Toyota Minor League Cricket championship will conclude with Conference semi-finals held Aug. 20-21 and Finals Weekend over Aug. 27-28.
