the competitive population of cricket
Cricket may be a typical example of “a sport that is not known but is very popular overseas.” Cricket is the third major sport in the world after basketball and soccer. We have summarized the competition population, spectator population, and background of each country.
The exact competitive population of cricket may be unknown?
It is difficult to know the exact number of athletes in sports. In addition to professionals and business groups, college and high school athletic clubs are registered with the official organization of the country (for example, the Japan Cricket Association for cricket), so it is possible to get a rough idea of the competitive population. But when it comes to the number of amateurs who enjoy it, it’s almost impossible to figure this out.
In the case of cricket, one theory is that it is the third largest athlete in the world (about 150 million people) after basketball (about 500 million people) and soccer (about 300 million people).
However, when it comes to the number of athletes, including amateur enthusiasts, there is a deep-rooted theory that soccer is number one and cricket is number two. This seems to be due to the fact that cricket is very popular in India, which is the second most populous country in the world.
What is the competitive population of England, the birthplace of cricket?
Cricket was born in England in the 16th century. Compared to the fact that football, which also originated in England, began in the 19th century, we can see that cricket is a sport with a very old history.
So, as for the cricket competition population in England, the birthplace, we don’t know the exact number. England certainly has a national character that respects cricket as a “gentleman’s sport with a rich tradition,” but it doesn’t seem to be as popular as football when it comes to the crucial competitive population.
Is India the country with the largest population of cricket competitions and spectators?
India is said to be the country with the largest cricket competition and spectator population. However, the grounds for this are not clear, and statistics have not been clarified.
India has a population of 1.2 billion, second only to China. From there, it seems that it was speculated that “India should have the largest number of cricket athletes.”
However, there is no doubt that India is the most cricket-rich country in the world. Everywhere in the city, there are many children enjoying cricket in the park on weekends. The Indian Premier League, a domestic league, is the world’s largest cricket tournament, with an average spectator mobilization of nearly 30,000 per game.
What is the commonality found in countries where cricket is popular?
Countries with a lot of cricket have something in common. It has a deep connection with the Commonwealth of Nations.
The Commonwealth of Nations, centered on England, the birthplace, originated from the British Empire, which once had the largest territory in the world. The British Empire spread its culture on its territory. Sports are also included in it.
During the British Empire, the sport in England was cricket, not soccer. As a result, cricket is still very popular in many of the countries that make up the Commonwealth of Nations, such as Australia, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
What is the population of cricket competition?
Compared to overseas, the current situation is that the cricket competition population is very small. According to the data registered with the Japan Cricket Association, the total number of players from all teams in Japan does not reach 2000.
Cricket was introduced to Japan earlier than baseball, but the Japan Cricket Association officially started its activities in 1984, only about 30 years ago. Since the association is also a leader in public relations activities, it seems that it will take some time before cricket awareness rises in Japan.
Cricket is a sport with a lot of walls that the general public can easily enjoy, such as unique rules and tools, and a long game format. Another problem is that it is difficult to find a venue for official games in Japan, where it is difficult to secure a large vacant lot because a large ground is required.
It can be said that these circumstances are also the reason why cricket is not widely spread in Japan.
Summary
Everyone is currently an associate member of the International Cricket Council, and if you register as a full member, you will have a much greater chance of seeing the Japanese national team at international competitions. As the number of viewers watching the game broadcast on TV and the scale of the tournament held in Japan will increase, more people will be interested in “Cricket looks interesting!”. I hope you can catch up with the popularity of cricket overseas as soon as possible!