American Cricket Enterprises (ACE), the driving force behind Major League Cricket (MLC) and Minor League Cricket (MiLC), has filed legal action against USA Cricket (USAC) after the governing body terminated their long-term partnership agreement. The agreement, signed in 2019, was designed to run for 50 years and form the backbone of professional cricket development in the United States. ACE alleges that the termination was “improper” and “unlawful,” claiming it has met and even exceeded all its financial and operational commitments under the deal.
The 2019 agreement granted ACE exclusive rights to run professional and semi-professional domestic leagues, develop infrastructure, and help fund grassroots programs. Over the last five years, ACE has invested heavily—reportedly more than $150 million—into stadium development, player contracts, and a high-performance center. USA Cricket, however, claimed ACE had failed to fulfill some of its obligations, citing lapses in funding youth development programs and alleged breaches of governance requirements. According to USAC, repeated warnings and breach notices were issued before the decision to terminate was made.
ACE strongly disputes these allegations, arguing that it has consistently provided funding beyond the required minimums and that USAC’s termination reflects political infighting rather than genuine contractual breach. The legal filing accuses certain USAC directors of undermining the partnership and jeopardizing the sport’s progress in the country. ACE is seeking legal remedies including reinstatement of the agreement, damages, and an injunction to prevent USAC from partnering with other commercial entities during litigation.
The fallout from this dispute could have significant implications for cricket in the U.S. MLC, which has been hailed as a key step in professionalizing the sport in North America, could face uncertainty regarding future seasons. Players who signed long-term deals and sponsors who committed to multi-year partnerships will be watching the outcome closely. Youth and grassroots development programs may also be affected if funding streams are interrupted.
Governance in USA Cricket has been a recurring issue, with the organization having faced past suspensions from the ICC for administrative instability. This latest crisis raises further questions about whether USAC can maintain the stability needed to grow the game in a competitive U.S. sports market.
The legal battle is expected to be closely followed by international stakeholders, including the ICC, who view the U.S. as a key growth market ahead of upcoming global tournaments hosted there. The outcome could reshape the commercial and governance structure of cricket in America for decades to come, either reaffirming ACE’s central role or opening the door to new partners and models for domestic cricket.
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