Needing 36 from the final over, USA Cricket played a forward defense on the first ball. On the second ball, it appears to have hit its own wicket.
Hours before its deadline to submit that reorganization plan to U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Colorado on Tuesday, USA Cricket submitted a motion for a 30-day extension. This motion was submitted directly by the Group of Five (I’m looking for a good name), who noted concerns with counsel and the authority of the board. The Venu Rangers assert that an “interim operating and financial plan” was reviewed and approved by the board, but counsel did not submit the plan to the bankruptcy court for review because, according to USAC’s filing, their lawyers were concerned about some things:
While the Board has approved an interim operating and financial plan by majority vote, questions have arisen regarding governance authority and process that counsel has advised should be clarified before filing.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop right there. USA Cricket has internal governance issues?! The Venu Crew said on the record there are internal governance issues?!
(Venu Crew - THAT’S THE ONE)
I could go into detail here, but I don’t want to bury the lede: a pro se submission when there is concern about governance looks really bad, and there is a less than 5% chance the court will grant this extension. Judge Michael E. Romero said as much on December 15 when he denied ACE’s motion to revoke Subchapter V status and appoint a Chapter 11 trustee:
While § 1189(b) permits the Court to extend the plan deadline, the Court is not inclined to do so here, given the multitude of concerns surrounding the Debtor’s ability to reorganize under Subchapter V. The Court also will not resolve the Debtor’s internal governance disputes for it. Simply put, the responsibility for making the decisions necessary to submit a confirmable plan of reorganization by the December 30, 2025 deadline rests solely with the Debtor. If the Debtor fails to comply with the obligations of Subchapter V, including filing a timely plan, the Court will likely grant any future motion to revoke the Debtor’s designation and appoint a Chapter 11 trustee.
Translation: USA Cricket is cooked. It missed not just any deadline but the deadline, was told an extension would be unlikely because of the vast chorus of concerns around its governance, and then asked for an extension because of issues pertaining to governance.
The memos attached for reference offer a lot of enthusiasm around USAC’s ability to grow age group cricket (specifically U11, U13, U15, and U17, since U19 is governed by the ICC during the suspension). USAC has to deliver 10% growth in youth cricket participation to hit the projected numbers for membership and entry fees that will bankroll a skeleton crew organization with no full-time staff and some basic internal tech infrastructure. It’s hopeful at best, since the bankruptcy and ICC suspension will likely make people wary of casting their lot in with USA Cricket and make those growth targets which their finances hinge entirely on very difficult to meet.
It’s also missing anything about USAC restructuring its debt. You know, the whole thing a person or business files bankruptcy for!
The Venu Crew had their chance and bypassed their legal counsel only to fail to file anything concrete. Now USAC’s Subchapter V designation is in grave jeopardy and a Chapter 11 trustee could also be on the way sooner than later. That trustee would effectively run USA Cricket by court order, in the process of reorganizing - or, at the trustee’s discretion, liquidating - the second iteration of American cricket governance. How quickly this goes frankly depends on how fast Judge Romero and ACE’s attorneys can write.
I don’t know what Venu Pisike had planned for 2026, but I think he can safely cross “governing American cricket” off that list. The end appears nigh.
UPDATE 3:00pm ET: American Cricket Enterprises has filed an objection to USAC’s motion for a 30 day extension. Their arguments are a more assertive version of what I have laid out above. Just under an hour ago, ACE attorney Amalia Sax-Bolder followed up that objection with a renewed motion to revoke Subchapter V status and appoint a conventional Chapter 11 trustee. The board’s minority (Rai, Nijjar, Gona, plus Whittaker) have also filed an objection that the pro se nature of the filing makes it inadmissible for lack of standing. ACE has asked for a hearing on January 6.
UPDATE 10:30pm ET: USA Cricket’s motion to extend its filing deadline in bankruptcy court has been DENIED, as expected, with the judge citing lack of standing of the board members to submit such a motion or a reorganization plan. As a corporation, the court rules such submissions may only come through authorized legal counsel. A hearing on ACE’s motion to amend USAC’s bankruptcy petition (revoking Subchapter V) and appointing a Chapter 11 trustee will take place January 6, as requested by ACE earlier.
While I have you here, I want to share a little bit about Stumps & Stripes now that it’s a little over six months old. I started this newsletter as a hobby in May because I had a lot of thoughts about domestic cricket and nowhere to write them all down. Its initial purpose has changed into something much closer to real journalism than I ever imagined. The market for American cricket coverage is small, but even then, it is underserved. I even thought about quitting my full-time job and making this my career… but I don’t think I’m ready to make that jump yet.
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