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  • Lubi Industries partners with Patna Pirates for Pro Kabaddi League Season 11

    Lubi Industries partners with Patna Pirates for Pro Kabaddi League Season 11

    Mumbai: Lubi Industries LLP, manufacturers of pumps and motors, has fostered its association with Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) by partnering with the Patna Pirates for the 11th season. As an Associate Partner for Patna Pirates, Lubi Pumps is poised to significantly boost its brand visibility within one of the country’s most cherished sporting leagues. This collaboration not only allows Lubi Pumps to engage with the passionate fan base of the three-time league winners of Patna Pirates but it also opens doors for enhanced recognition, particularly in the crucial markets of Bihar and Jharkhand.

    The Pro Kabaddi League enjoys an immense viewership, drawing in fans from both rural and urban areas across India, the ethos of this sport runs deep with the cultural heritage of the country. For Lubi Pumps, known for its robust presence in the domestic and agricultural pump sectors, this partnership aligns seamlessly with its mission to connect with diverse audiences throughout the country. The visibility gained through this collaboration is expected to amplify Lubi’s brand awareness and strengthen its market position in key regions.

    Lubi Industries LLP director Ronak Porecha stated, “Kabaddi is not just a sport; it’s a cultural phenomenon that resonates deeply with our audiences, especially in regions like Bihar and Jharkhand, where the Patna Pirates have a loyal following. This partnership with a team that holds local pride and cultural significance reflects our commitment to supporting events and activities that connect with the lives of our consumers. Kabaddi offers a rare opportunity to engage with a sport that is truly rooted in the heritage of our country. Through this association, we aim to strengthen our bond with the communities we serve, celebrating shared values and promoting an event that unites people across rural and urban markets. We are genuinely excited to support the Patna Pirates and wish them immense success in the upcoming season.”

    Patna Pirates, CEO Pawan Rana, shared his enthusiasm about the collaboration, saying, “It’s a privilege for us to have a prominent associate partner like Lubi Pumps. Both the Patna Pirates and Lubi Pumps are driven by a common ambition for success and have a substantial presence across various regions. This partnership represents a powerful alliance, and we eagerly anticipate an exciting season ahead filled with thrilling matches and memorable moments.”

    With both entities committed to pushing boundaries and achieving greatness, this partnership promises to create a dynamic synergy that benefits the Patna Pirates, Lubi Industries LLP, and their shared audience.

  • Nitu Chandra named brand ambassador for ‘Patna Pirates’

    Nitu Chandra named brand ambassador for ‘Patna Pirates’

    Mumbai: In a significant development for both the world of sports and entertainment, the renowned actress Nitu Chandra has taken up the prestigious role of brand ambassador for the illustrious Pro Kabaddi team, the Patna Pirates. The Patna Pirates, with a remarkable track record of securing three Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) championships, is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated teams in the league.

    Nitu Chandra, a versatile actress known for her contributions to cinema, brings her charisma and love for sports to this partnership. Her journey from the silver screen to the Kabaddi arena is poised to ignite a fresh wave of enthusiasm among fans and supporters alike.

    Speaking on this exciting venture, Chandra said, “Sports has been an integral part of my life from a very young age, and Patna holds a special place in my heart as my hometown. Joining hands with the Patna Pirates is a dream come true. It couldn’t be a more fitting way to celebrate talent, hard work, and unwavering dedication. The Patna Pirates have consistently demonstrated prowess and resilience in the Pro Kabaddi League. I am thrilled to join this incredible journey as their brand ambassador.”

    The Patna Pirates, through their remarkable journey in the Pro Kabaddi League, have carved a niche for themselves as a formidable force in the sport. With a stellar team of athletes and a passionate fan base, they have achieved remarkable success, clinching the PKL championship three times. Nitu Chandra’s association with the team adds a touch of stardom and an element of glamour to an already vibrant franchise.

    The Pro Kabaddi League, known for its thrilling matches and competitive spirit, is set to commence its tenth season. With Nitu Chandra as the brand ambassador, the Patna Pirates are poised to embark on this journey with renewed vigor and enthusiasm. This season promises to be an exciting spectacle where skill, strategy, and sheer determination will once again take center stage.

    As the countdown to the tenth season of PKL begins, fans and enthusiasts eagerly await the electrifying Kabaddi action that the league is known for. With Nitu Chandra’s association with the Patna Pirates, this season is expected to create history in the arena and the hearts of millions of fans who passionately follow the sport and its remarkable journey.

    The collaboration between Hollywood actress Nitu Chandra and the Patna Pirates is a testament to the unifying power of sports and entertainment. It signifies the seamless blend of talent, glamour, and sportsmanship and is set to create a lasting impact in Pro Kabaddi.

  • Star India’s PKL draws higher sponsorship revenues in season 6

    Star India’s PKL draws higher sponsorship revenues in season 6

    MUMBAI: The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) auctions saw six players command over a crore, offering further proof of the property’s rising popularity in terms of viewership and advertising interest.

    If we look at the viewership, the live telecast of PKL season 5 garnered 1.6 billion impressions with a target audience of 2+ which was broadcast on eight channels. Rural contributed to 75 per cent of the overall viewership and the remaining was contributed by urban audience.

    UMumba CEO Supratik Sen said, “Performance does matter. In season 1 to 3, brands were really excited to speak to us, in season 4 and 5, we did not perform well. We have got our sponsors and we are happy with the way the league is functioning. The overall sponsorship including jersey, on-ground and title has increased because we have changed the team and the range is Rs 4-4.5 crore right now. The team has a list of good sponsors like Indigo paints, Syska, MI, Aisen (new electronic brand) and Wintogeno. The team is in talks with two more brands and are planning to have a total of 8-9 sponsors.”

    According to an industry source, the sponsorship for the best team would be in the range of Rs 1.5-3 crore, which can only be fetched by 2 or 3 teams. Star India is pegged to earn around Rs 150 crore from the ad revenue and sponsorship this season, the source adds.

    Bengaluru Bulls CEO Uday Sinh Wala said, “As the festive season is approaching, we have lots of activations for the fans. We are still in talks with 2 more brands and hopefully we will get our title sponsor. The range this time has increased to Rs 1.5 to 3.5 crore.” The team has only one brand – MI – on board so far.

    “Things do change in the first 2-5 matches as the people want to look at how the team is performing. This time our tickets will be priced very low and will be in the range of Rs 300-500 which was previously in the range of Rs 800-1000,” Sen added.

    Tamil Thalaivas has brands like Orbit, Valvoline, Moship, Tractor emulsion, BKT, Radiomirchi 98.3 and Paytm. Brands that connect, get the whole of Tamil Nadu to activate.

    Tamil Thalaivas CEO Viren Dsilva said, “With the brands we have till now, we see the potential in terms of connect with the audience. There are brands who are looking to exploit it beyond the simple television exposure. I think the brands plan to earmark as part of their yearly calendar and we as a club are extending the calendar in terms of activities we do year round."

    Another industry expert said, “It’s been better than ISL so far. The sponsorships depend on market to market. Teams like Patna Pirates and Tamil Thalaivas have been the most successful in terms of sponsorship. Patna Pirates is in the list as it has performed very well in the previous seasons.”

    The latest season of PKL features 12 teams participating in close to 140 matches that are spread over 13 weeks. In May, Chinese handset maker Vivo signed a five-year deal with PKL as its title sponsor.

    Gujarat Fortunegaints CEO Sanjay Adesara said, “The brands' response this time has been better than the previous seasons. We have sold all our spots and we have brands like MI, Adani, Fogg, Fru2go, Jade Blue, Ranjit Rockey and Odayo. Brands connected with us from the start because they get more mileage as the league starts. We have seen an overall growth of 20-25 per cent as compared to last season.”

    It seems like brands resist putting money beforehand and instead prefer to wait to grab a good deal.

  • Pro Kabaddi League makes first ever player auction of Rs 10 mn

    Pro Kabaddi League makes first ever player auction of Rs 10 mn

    MUMBAI: India’s second most watched sporting league –Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) – has entered its sixth season auctions. Riding on the back of five phenomenal seasons, the auctions are taking place on 30 and 31 May 2018 in Mumbai.

    The salary purse of the franchise remains the same as Rs 4 crore per team with a minimum of 18 players mandatory in the squad. The teams are strategising to build their strongest teams.

    A total of 422 players will be drafted into the auction pool of which 58 are overseas players and 87 are players from the Future Kabaddi Heroes Programme (FKH), a nationwide talent scouting programme. The auctions will witness player representation from 14 other countries including Iran, Bangladesh, Japan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

    iQuest CEO Nitin Kukreja came in for the support of Tamil Thalaivvas and said, “Previously there was not enough economic opportunity for people but with the likes of IPL and PKL the opportunities have been unlocked. We are setting up our first local residential academy in which we will provide free education to 70 children with the training which might help them to play for any franchise in PKL.”

    Mashal Sports director Charu Sharma said, “I’m very mesmerised with the response we got in the first five seasons of this league. We have a long way to go and need to be patient to take this revolution forward.”

    Jaipur Pink Panthers owner Abhishek Bachchan pointed out that the viewership goals were surpassed over 10 times till the past season and so have auction rates. “Last season we thought Rs 70 lakh will be the highest bid but it went till Rs 93 lakh. This season there will be 2-3 players crossing the Rs 1 crore mark.”

    Fazel Atrachali the costliest player bought for Rs 1 crore said, “I’m happy to be back in my second home UMumba after two seasons.”

    On day one six players crossed the Rs 1 crore mark out of which five are Indian domestic player.

    The bigs buys of day one from the domestic list is lead by Monu Goyat who was bought by Haryana Steelers for Rs 1.51 crore. The franchise has put Kabaddi in the rich and elite professional sports league with Rs 1.51 crore for the 26-year-old.

    Rahul Chaudhari is retained by using Final Bid Match (FBM) by Telugu Titans at Rs 1.29 crore. Deepak Nivas Hooda is the third player in the crorepati list with Rs 1.15 crore to Jaipur Pink Panthers. Nitin Tomar previous years highest earner was sold for Rs 1.15 crore to Puneri Paltans followed by Rishank Devadiga for Rs 1.11 crore to UP Yoddhas.

    The first player auctioned for season six was Irani defender Abozar Mohajermighani who was sold to Telugu Titans for Rs 76 lakh and the second was Atrachali.

    USports co-founder Ronnie Screwvala also thinks that three to four players will cross the Rs 1 crore mark. UMumba has not retained a single player from its previous squad.

    PKL league commissioner Anupam Goswami said, “It has been a historic day for VIVO Pro Kabaddi and it’s wonderful to see so many talented players who are under the radar, make such a difference to franchisee decisions at VIVO Pro Kabaddi S6 auctions. Kabaddi has proven to be a viable career option for emerging talent and with 6 players crossing the Rs 1 crore mark, it is a defining moment in VIVO Pro Kabaddi history, setting a benchmark for inspiring youngsters who look to make a difference in the game.”

    UMumba CEO Supratik Sen told Indiantelevision.com that they are going to focus on Defender and Raiders after the day 2 lunch. Staying true to what Supratik said, UMumba bought some C category raiders at a higher price. Siddharth Desai went for Rs 36.4 Lakh and Abhishek Singh at Rs 42.8 Lakh to name a few.

    Monu Goyat commentating on being the highest bid player said “I am extremely happy to be the highest paid player this season, there is a huge responsibility to deliver and I am glad to receive this opportunity. I will now focus on increasing the standard of my game and playing the best, I can.

    Rahul Chaudhari speaking on being retained with Telugu Titans said “I am very happy that my team has retained me and I am glad to be back to Telugu Titans. Every year the league witnesses’ massive jumps along with a tremendous growth in fan following and I am extremely happy to be a part of the Pro Kabaddi family. I have started my training and am looking forward to this season. It is a growing period for kabaddi and I think by the time the younger generation will step into the auctions, the bid may start at 6-7 crores. Kabaddi is only going to grow and I urge parents to send their children to play kabaddi.”

    Speaking on the anticipated outcome of the auctions, Patna Pirates owner Rajesh Shah said, “Being three-time champions we are looking forward to building a team that will retain the trophy again this year. We are looking at players who will complement the four retained players and bring in their strengths to build a strong winning team this season. I am very proud to be associated with Patna Pirates and am ecstatic that they won. But most importantly I am happy to be a part of this club of 12 teams owned and managed by people I know and respect. It’s a unique opportunity to be part of this group not only promoting Kabaddi but a great sense of competition in the game as well.

    Also Read :

    VIVO Pro Kabaddi Season 6 gives fans the power to choose their players

    PKL franchises retain 21 elite players for season 6

  • Jaipur Pink Panthers lifts Pro Kabaddi League trophy; season 2 in March 2015

    Jaipur Pink Panthers lifts Pro Kabaddi League trophy; season 2 in March 2015

    MUMBAI: The Indian audiences have been humming ‘Kabaddi Kabaddi’ for the past one month. And as Abhishek Bachchan’s Jaipur Pink Panther beat Ronnie Screwvala’s U Mumba to lift the Pro Kabaddi League season one trophy, the big announcement was made.

     

    Looking at the great response for Kabaddi in the country, the promoters have decided to bring back season two of Pro Kabaddi League in March 2015.  

     

    Conceptualised by Indian businessman Anand Mahindra and co promoter Charu Sharma through their venture, Mashal Sports, the Pro Kabaddi League has entertained audiences right from Mumbai to Patna. “We are very happy with the response for the league and Kabaddi and so will be back as early as March 2015,” said Mahindra.

     

    The day also saw Patna Pirates beat Bengaluru Bulls to grab the third position in the first season. Neither the heavy rain, nor the ongoing Ganapati celebrations deterred Mumbaikars to be at the National Sports Complex of India to cheer for not just their team, but the game.

     

    While Patna beat Bengaluru by 29-22, the finale between Jaipur and Mumbai, saw AB’s team winning 35-24 against Scewvala’s team.  

     

    Excited with the response from women audiences, the organisers are thinking of launching a women’s Kabaddi League too.

     

    Present at the mega clash were IMG-Reliance chairperson Nita Ambani, Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Ronnie Screwvala, Zarina Mehta and singer Shankar Mahadevan among others.

     

    One thing which the Pro Kabaddi League has proved is that India is no longer just a cricket crazy nation.  Kabaddi truly has become the second sport for India.

     

    Kudos to team Pro Kabaddi League!

     

  • Patna franchise of Pro-Kabaddi league named Patna Pirates.

    Patna franchise of Pro-Kabaddi league named Patna Pirates.

    MUMBAI: The Patna franchise of the Pro Kabaddi league has been finally christened as Patna Pirates. The owner of the franchise Rajesh Shah, announced the name of the team at a press conference. Unveiling the logo, Shah expressed his hope that Patna Pirates which is being led by Arjuna awardee and ace player Rakesh Kumar would bring accolades to the ancient city of India.

     

    The league which is set to begin in July this year has eight teams from various cities. Captain Rakesh Kumar is the most expensive player in the league who was bought for a record fee of Rs 12. 8 lakh. Kumar had also won a gold at the Asian Indoor games 2013 and Asian Games 2010.

     

    Commenting on launch, Shah said, “We are delighted to launch our team identity today. Kabaddi is an Indian game with historical relevance and has a potential to become a global sport. There is huge talent for the game in our country and I hope the team will showcase the resilient ethos of the people of Patna. I appeal to the people of this city to come forward and support Patna Pirates. We have a state of the art facility in the Kankarbagh indoor stadium, an incredible coach in Rambir Singh Khokhar and a strong team. The package is wonderful.”

     

    Patna Pirates Captain Rakesh Kumar added, “I am honored to be chosen as the captain of this talented side. I would like to thank Shah for embracing a sport like Kabaddi which will go a long way in promoting this ancient sport and giving the sport a professional status. I am confident that Patna Pirates will bring laurels to this city and state of Bihar.”

     

    Another player, Sunil Kumar, who was allotted to the Patna team as a state wild card commented, “I’ve been playing Kabaddi all through my youth. It was in school that I took to it as I watched all my friends and brother playing the game. I stuck to the sport, represented Delhi and then eventually earned a call up for the Indian team, which was a huge moment for me, and I never thought it could be topped. But now I hope to build many more new memories with the Patna Pirates and I eagerly look forward to the start of the tournament.”

     

    The Pro Kabaddi league is an initiative of Mashal Sports and intends to bring glory to the Indian game.