USA Cricket has appointed Johnathan Atkeison as their new CEO.
Atkeison, currently the Chief Operating Officer at USA Rugby, is expected to assume the role immediately after the position was left vacant in March following the controversial termination of Dr. Noor Mohammad.
Atkeison’s appointment comes shortly after the cricket board was put on notice of suspension by the ICC due to its failure to appoint a full-time CEO and its inability to receive recognition from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
Atkeison, who has spent 13 years at USA Rugby and almost his entire professional life working for the sport in the USA, may find it challenging to adapt to the new sport.
However, his bigger challenge will be navigating the internal political turmoil and drama that has long gripped the sport.
The latest installment of this drama was reported by Cricpulse on Monday, detailing accusations by USAC directors against the chairman and his ‘allies’ of corruption and harassment.
Atkeison will also have to address the gridlock between USAC and their strategic partner ACE (owners of MLC).
The inability of both parties to work in synergy has become an open secret, mostly negatively impacting the national players due to USAC’s inadequacy in funding national player contracts.
USAC has had a high turnover rate for the CEO position since its inception.
Since the controversial departure of its first CEO Iain Higgins in December 2021, the board has seen Vinay Bhimjiani and Dr. Noor Mohammad fill the role for brief periods, each tenure marked by internal altercations.
Atkeison may also face staffing challenges following the departure of long-serving employees like Jamie Paul Lloyd and Julia Abbott.
“I’m honored to join the team at USA Cricket.
It’s an incredible time for the sport here in the United States with the historic performance of the men’s national team in the recent T20 World Cup, the completion of the second season of Major League Cricket, and the first opportunity to showcase cricket in the Olympics here on home soil during the LA28 games.
Our goal is to build a world-class organization to capitalize on that momentum, and firmly establish cricket’s position in the American sporting landscape,” said Atkeison.
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