Vice-chairman Paraag Marathe has resigned from the top job at USA Cricket in a move which may boost his time and energy with Leeds United. Marathe was appointed second in command at Elland Road in January 2021 when 49ers Enterprises increased its ownership stake to 37 per cent (it increased to 44 per cent in November 2021).
Marathe is also executive vice-president of football operations with San Francisco 49ers and has been the face of the NFL franchise’s investment at Leeds since 2018. In what was a busy year for the board member, Marathe also became one of the inaugural directors at USA Cricket in 2018 before being appointed as chairman by his colleagues in the same year.
Marathe was then reappointed chairman for a second term in March 2021, but this week announced he will step down from the organisation entirely once it has found a successor. He said: “Thank you to everyone associated with USA Cricket for their commitment to building a strong foundation for the sport in the United States through collaboration over the last three-plus years.
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“I am pleased with the direction that has been set for cricket in this country, especially in light of the many unforeseen challenges we’ve faced, and the time is right for new leadership to see through the next phase of growth for the sport. My top priority is to ensure a smooth transition that will continue the upward trajectory of the sport.
“Cricket already features a hugely passionate community of players, fans, and advocates in this country and I will continue to be supportive of the sport moving forward.”
Marathe and his family live in California, but Andrea Radrizzani and Angus Kinnear have repeatedly clarified how frequently they speak with the vice-chairman even if he cannot be in the UK all the time. The 49ers Enterprises figurehead was seen at last week’s matches with Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion, while Jed York, the 49ers chairman, showed up for the latter.
They will watch the climax of this season closely with relegation sure to alter their plans for the club if Leeds do suffer the drop on Sunday. Either way, Marathe’s decision to step away from one of his business interests elsewhere is likely to boost the attention he has available to put into the Whites moving forward.
