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Tag: 22 December

  • Star Sports ropes in eight sponsors ahead of PKL Season 8

    Star Sports ropes in eight sponsors ahead of PKL Season 8

    Mumbai: Star Sports, the official media rights partner for vivo Pro Kabaddi League, has roped in eight sponsors and many more key advertisers ahead of the commencement of the league.

    The eight on-boarded sponsors include vivo, Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles, A23, Dream11, Mfine, Byju’s, Officer’s Choice, and Parimatch News. New advertisers like Mfine, A23, Parimatch News, Winzo, GSK, and Luminous among others have also partnered with the broadcaster.

    Season 8 of vivo Pro Kabaddi League is all set to begin from 22 December, and for the first time will be played at a single venue, Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Center.

    “We are delighted with the response that we have received from brands across categories,” said a Star Sports spokesperson. “The recently launched campaign- ‘Jo Bhidega Woh Badega’ has created a stir of excitement amongst fans and advertisers alike for the return of PKL after two years. The overall reception from advertisers is a testament to the brand value of India’s homegrown sport. We have solidified our position as a broadcaster that provides advertisers with customized creative solutions to drive high engagement and are confident that the interest among advertisers will only continue to grow with each passing year.”

    The new format will feature triple headers) on the first four days in the opening week. Bengaluru Bulls will square off with U Mumba in the opening match. The ‘Southern Derby’ between Tamil Thalaivas and Telugu Titans will be the second match followed by UP Yoddha squaring off with defending champions Bengal Warriors in the final match of the day.

  • Star Sports launches campaign for PKL 8 with MS Dhoni

    Star Sports launches campaign for PKL 8 with MS Dhoni

    Mumbai: Star India, the official broadcaster of Vivo Pro Kabaddi League season 8, has unveiled its campaign #JoBhidegaWohBadhega, starring Indian cricketer MS Dhoni.

    After a two-year hiatus, Vivo Pro Kabaddi League season 8 will start airing from 22 December onwards on Star Sports network and Disney+ Hotstar.

    The ad spot cinematically envisages diverse stories featuring the youth of today, who will not bow down to any sort of pain, pressure or bullying and overcome such staunch challenges with equal aplomb. An injured player braving the pain for his team, a young girl fighting against harassment from a group of boys or junior resisting from being ragged by his seniors at a hostel are some of the stories featured in the brand film.

    Moving away from its previous caravan format, Vivo PKL Season 8 will be held at a single venue in Bengaluru. The tournament will feature Triple Panga (Triple Headers) on the first four days in the opening week. Bengaluru Bulls will square off with U Mumba in the opening match. The highly anticipated ‘Southern Derby’ between Tamil Thalaivas and Telugu Titans will be the second match followed by UP Yoddha squaring off with defending champions Bengal Warriors in the final match of the day.

    “We are thrilled to bring back Vivo Pro Kabaddi League after a two-year hiatus,” said Star and Disney India head – sports Sanjog Gupta. “Kabaddi has a strong following among millions of fans who missed the sport during the pandemic and can now re-engage with #LePanga. The campaign celebrates the indomitable human spirit which has to overcome all kinds of challenges, big and small. We believe Kabaddi exemplifies this very spirit in its gameplay as the raider dares to enter the opposition team’s half of the mat and takes on many defenders to triumph. Winning in life as in Kabaddi needs us to press forward with belief and take challenges head-on. ‘Jo Bhidega Toh Badhega’ stands for this common truth.”

    “The action-packed sport requires quick thinking, situational awareness, swift moves and a daring attitude, which combined with Disney-Star’s unrivalled and innovative coverage makes it a compelling watch,” he added.

  • Mashal Sports announces schedule for PKL season eight

    Mashal Sports announces schedule for PKL season eight

    Mumbai: Mashal Sports has announced the schedule of the first half for Vivo Pro Kabaddi League season eight that will begin from 22 December at 7:30 p.m. The entire season will be conducted at the Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Centre without spectators.

    As a special format for PKL season eight, Mashal has scheduled ‘Triple Headers’ on the first four days to ensure that kabaddi fans across the country get to watch each of their favourite teams play in the very initial days of the league.

    PKL season eight will begin with U Mumba facing Bengaluru Bulls in the tournament opener. The league’s ‘Southern Derby’ will then take centre-stage as Telugu Titans lock horns with Tamil Thalaivas in the second match and UP Yoddha square off with the defending champions Bengal Warriors in the last match of the opening day.

    This season will feature ‘Triple Panga’ driven by Triple Headers on all Saturdays through the course of the tournament ensuring that kabaddi aficionados have their fill of ‘Thigh-Five’ entertainment.  The new format will raise the excitement for the season’s weekends and keep fans hooked onto the action, even as the contending teams focus on the first-part schedule to establish a vantage position vis-à-vis their competitors.  The release of the season’s second-part schedule by mid-January is also expected to help PKL Teams assess and rebuild their competition strategies for the second half of the tournament.



    “The Vivo Pro Kabaddi League is known for reinvigorating and popularising India’s own sport of kabaddi, and with the new format, we aim to continue reinventing the sport,” said Mashal Sports chief executive officer and league commissioner Vivo Pro Kabaddi League Anupam Goswami. “Releasing the schedule in two halves will help teams strategize better and keep the fans engaged. The triple headers and ‘Triple Panga’ will provide more fans more opportunities to watch their favourite players and teams in action as they battle it out for the coveted title.”

    Keeping the health and safety of players in mind, Mashal Sports will be undertaking the task of converting the entire venue at Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Centre into a single integrated and secure bio-bubble. With this unique setup, all 12 teams will be staying and playing at the same venue as Mashal Sports is focusing on following and adhering to the safety protocols set by the authorities.

  • Pro Kabaddi League season eight to start on 22 December

    Pro Kabaddi League season eight to start on 22 December

    Mumbai: Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) season eight is set to return on 22 December, announced the organiser Mashal Sports.

    The player auctions for the season were conducted on 29-31 August. Keeping in mind the safety and health of players and stakeholders, this year the league will be held without spectators, at a single venue in Bengaluru, moving away from the traditional caravan format.

    Season eight of Vivo PKL will be broadcasted live on Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar.

    “We are very privileged that Season 8 of the Vivo Pro Kabaddi League will be hosted in Karnataka, especially as this state is a very significant geography for kabaddi and PKL fans in India,” said Vivo Pro Kabaddi League league commissioner and Mashal Sports chief executive officer Anupam Goswami. “Bengaluru has all the facilities for the conduct of big competitive sports events with best safety practices, and we look forward to demonstrating this with PKL Season 8.”

    The league will implement protocols to comply with government regulations and guidelines and will work with specialized safety agencies to implement stringent safety practices and create a bio–secure bubble, a first for any professional indoor contact sports league in India.

    “Kabaddi is a genuine indigenous sport of India and very popular in Karnataka. We welcome and support the conduct of forthcoming Pro Kabaddi Season 8 in our state,” said Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai.