North Texas is Sports Central this week, with the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars both playing championship games. And, there’s more on the way! The U.S. Women’s National (Volleyball) Team (three time VNL champions, reigning Olympic Champs) will compete in Arlington May 28-June 2, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and second season of Major League Cricket take over Grand Prairie Stadium in June and July.
The FIVB women’s volleyball tournament will be held at College Park Center in Arlington now through June 2, as the last major volleyball event before the Paris Olympic Games and the only VNL matches in the USA this year. VNL is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament, where the top 16 teams in the world play for the coveted VNL Trophy.
Coppell Volleyball Star
Top local favorites to watch on the U.S. Women’s Team include sisters Avery and Madison Skinner, and Chiaka Ogbogu from Coppell, a member of Team USA since 2018. Winning the Olympic gold in 2020 and VNL in 2019 and 2021, she has played professionally in Italy, Poland and Türkiye. Ogbogu is a three-time AVCA First Team All-American at University of Texas, with the most blocks and block assists in school history.
Volleyball is one of the fastest growing sports in the country, and Arlington is a great opportunity for Texas to show the unique volleyball culture they’re known for. The U.S. Women’s National Team will welcome VNL 2023 Champion Türkiye along with Canada, South Korea, Germany, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Poland. Spectators can expect a week of intense volleyball action featuring the world’s best athletes. Tickets are available at VNLTickets.com, and pricing starts as low as $16 for a child’s ticket and $23 for adults, not including fees.
Cricket, Anyone?
Following a thrilling inaugural U.S. debut of Major League Cricket in 2023, cricket fever will once again take hold of North Texas this summer. The 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and the second season of Major League Cricket will be held in Grand Prairie Stadium. The opening match of the T20 World Cup Sat., June 1, marks the first time for the U.S. to host a global cricket event.
Cricket continues to expand into new markets and vie for eligibility for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic games. The 2024 World Cup tournament will be co-hosted by the West Indies and the USA through June 29, with U.S. matches in Grand Prairie, Lauderhill (Florida), and Nassau County (New York).
Ways to watch T20 World Cup Cricket: There is limited availability for World Cup tickets; fans are encouraged to check via the Visit Grand Prairie website as batches of tickets will be released periodically.
Free World Cup Watch Parties
The City of Grand Prairie will host a series of free World Cup watch parties on the lawn at Jambox at the EpicCentral Grand Prairie entertainment complex, (also home to Chicken N Pickle, Bolder Adventure Park, Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark, and a host of newly-opened restaurants like Vidorra, Loop 9 BBQ, and The Finch. Illuvia, a daily Vegas-style water and light show, is also held there. JamBox, at EpicCentral Grand Prairie (2971 State Hwy 161, watch parties are free; lawn chairs and blanketgs welcome. Click on visitgrandprairietx.com/iccworldcup to find out more.
Following the final Grand Prairie-hosted World Cup match on June 7, Grand Prairie Stadium will be readied for the launch of the 2024 Major League Cricket season, serving as both the home turf for the Texas Super Kings as well as the venue for MLC post-season matches.
MLC Season Schedule
The MLC season gets underway when the Texas Super Kings take on the Los Angeles Knight Riders July 5 at 7:30 p.m. The final tournament (regular season) match will happen on July 23 at 7:30 p.m., when the Texas Super Kings face the Seattle Orcas. Playoff matches are set for July 24-28 at Grand Prairie Stadium.
“Cricket is the number two sport on the planet, so it’s very exciting to have been selected to be a part of both Major League Cricket and the ICC Men’s T20,” said Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen. “Exciting, but not surprising, since Grand Prairie continues to emerge as a top-tier destination for entertainment in North Texas and beyond. We look forward to welcoming cricket fans, both new and experienced, to our great city.”
The tournament will boast three weeks of nonstop T20 action, featuring international stars and the nation’s top domestic talent (including Devon Conway and Faf du Plessis of the Texas Super Kings). Matches will feature live entertainment, fireworks, player signings and meet-and-greets, merchandise giveaways, food trucks and more.
