USA Cricket Files for Bankruptcy Minutes Before ACE Court Hearing

On October 1, 2025, USA Cricket filed for bankruptcy ahead of its preliminary-injunction hearing in its dispute with American Cricket Enterprises (ACE).

The Colorado case was brought by ACE against USA Cricket on September 16, 2025, for improper termination of their 50-year commercial agreement, and a hearing for a preliminary injunction was scheduled for October 1, 2025, but USA Cricket is said to have declared bankruptcy minutes before the hearing. 

USA Cricket, on the other hand, had terminated the agreement on August 22, 2025, citing failure on the part of ACE to fulfil its contractual and financial obligations. It is also said that the agreement was negotiated largely by a USA Cricket Board member who did not disclose certain conflicts of interest that both he and his employer had with ACE affiliates.

As per its media release, USA Cricket filed for financial reorganisation under Chapter 11, Subchapter V of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, factoring in the financial strain and operational interference caused by the said ACE agreement, and to address the challenges presented by the unfortunate timing of the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspension, coupled with the litigation and governance reforms.

As to the ICC suspension, which took effect on September 23, 2025, the decision was a result of USA Cricket’s repeated and continued breaches of its obligations as an ICC Member under the ICC’s Constitution. The same was owing to its failure to implement a functional governance structure, lack of progress toward achieving National Governing Body (NGB) status with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), and significant actions that have caused reputational damage to cricket in the United States and around the world. However, the US national teams retain their right to participate in ICC events, including preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, with the teams’ management and administration to be temporarily overseen by the ICC and/or its designated representatives.

USA Cricket was earlier placed on notice at the ICC Annual General Meeting in July 2024 and given 12 months’ time to remedy the non-compliance with ICC Membership Criteria. At this year’s conference in July, ICC reiterated its previous position and confirmed that the organisation remained on notice, with USA Cricket required to undertake comprehensive governance reforms, including completion of free and fair elections within a three-month period. However, the ICC eventually suspended it due to persistent issues.