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Tag: U Mumba

  • U Mumba ropes in 6 sponsors, 3 partners for Pro Kabaddi League 7

    U Mumba ropes in 6 sponsors, 3 partners for Pro Kabaddi League 7

    MUMBAI: U Mumba, the franchise owned by U Sports which is helmed by Ronnie Screwvala and Supratik Sen, got 6 sponsors and 3 partners on board for the upcoming Season 7 of the Pro Kabaddi League that starts on 20 July. While a few brands have been associated with U Mumba in prior seasons as well, a few new ones have deals across all the sport franchises under U Sports.

    The categories of sponsorship have been taken by the following: Indigo Paints as Presenting Sponsor, Haldirams as Powered by Sponsor, Mitashi as Electronics Partner, BKT Tires as Off Highway Tire Partner, Flamingo as Pain Management Partner, Je & Vee Infrastructure as Infrastructure Partner and Vihan Switches as Electric partner. In fact, Indigo paints was Presenting sponsor for U Mumba in season 6 as well. A few more sponsors are expected to come on board as the season begins.

    U Mumba also has Radio City as Radio Partner, Superfan AI as Fan Engagement Partner, Gold’s Gym as Fitness Partner, Dome@NSCI, SVP Stadium as Venue Partner and PayTM/Insider.in as Ticketing Partner for a second year running.

    Flamingo, flagship brand of Ascent Meditech Ltd. has backed U Sports not only in kabaddi, but also in volleyball (U Mumba Volley) and table tennis (U Mumba TT)

    As a brand, U Mumba looks to grow along with its partner brands. U Mumba believes in ensuring all brands get their desired visibility, engagement and more. It’s evident from the fact that some of our partners are with us in concurrent seasons.

    U Sports co-founder and MD, Supratik Sen said, "We are pleased to have all these sponsor and partner brands on board for season 7 of the Pro Kabaddi League. All our partner brands and sponsors share similar mindsets and ethos as U Sports, and we hope to have an engagement with them that is deeper than just being sponsors. As always, U Mumba has always engaged the right audiences and thus facilitates maximum traction for our sponsors! With strong brands like these backing the team, we will definitely do our best to live up to their and the fans expectations and reach for top honors.”

    Indigo Paints managing director Hemant Jalan said, "We have been a part of the U Mumba journey for a while now and the relationship has been nothing short of amazing. It is important to have similar mindset and goals. The engagement we got last season was wonderful and we’re looking to do more this season. The team over the seasons has shown tremendous progress and we could not be prouder to be associated with a team like U Mumba. Hoping for yet another successful season this time too!"

    Haldirams Food International Pvt Ltd, director, Neeraj Agrawal said, “We are extremely pleased to be a sponsor of U Mumba for the upcoming Season 7. Kabaddi is the most iconic & lovable sports after cricket in India, and in over the years PKL has grown as one of the biggest sporting properties, and we are proud to be part of it, U Mumba and our brand have perfect synergy. This is our first season with U Mumba, and we are as excited as the team is! We believe the team will deliver the best of their skills & conclude at the top order. On behalf of Haldirams family, I wish them all the very best”

    Ascent Meditech Ltd, founder and MD, Flamingo, Rajiv Mistry said, ‘’Pro Kabaddi, an action-packed platform for brands has changed the media consumption pattern among Indians drastically over the past seasons. Kabaddi players have now become household names and carry with them huge followers, who are majorly millennial. With Kabaddi or with any sporting activity, come injuries and pain. Flamingo, the official pain management partner of U Mumba would play a crucial role in comforting the pain among the players with its quality products thereby enabling them to excel in their pursuits and help emerge Kabaddi as the winner. He adds, Kabaddi acted as the perfect fit as Flamingo products are used by everyday consumers across age who strives to progress and refuse to stare at defeat due to niggles and pain.’’

    BKT Tires joint managing director Rajiv Poddar said, “Having been associated with 8 Kabaddi teams last season and receiving a fantastic response from our stakeholders, we are delighted to continue our association with Kabaddi this year as well. Being able to support some of the most competitive Kabaddi teams in the country is a matter of pride for BKT Tires. The U Mumba team has had great success over the past seasons, and we are delighted to be able to partner with the team this season.”

    Mitashi Edutainment Pvt. Ltd. founder and CMD, Rakesh Dugar said, “With longstanding associations with cricket and football, Mitashi is excited to collaborate with the U Mumba team for the 7th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League 2019. We share the team’s ethos and ideology with focus on hard work, companionship and sportsmanship. We encourage the promotion of home-grown talent and sports across India and Internationally. We are confident that our U Mumba team shall come through with flying colours and shall win the trophy in this edition of the PKL 2019."

    Vihan Electric Private Limited director Devendra Kumar Jain said, "We are very excited to be associated with U Mumba and are sure the journey is going to be a long lasting and fruitful one for both parties. As a team, U Mumba is young and motivated and that reflects on our brand energy too."

    Je & Vee Infrastructure MD Vinay Singh said, “At Je & Vee Infrastructure, as someone who believes in quality and excellence in everything we do, we see U Mumba is the one team that shares the same values. By partnering with them, we hope to connect with the common Mumbaikar and build long term relationships not only with audiences but with the team as well! We look forward to the next 3 months and more!”

  • Pro Volleyball League attracts 14.3 mn viewers in week 1 on TV

    Pro Volleyball League attracts 14.3 mn viewers in week 1 on TV

    MUMBAI: The first leg of RuPay Pro Volleyball League (PVL) which happened in Kochi witnessed 14.3 million viewers sample the league on Sony Pictures Network (SPN) India.   

    The league, which is an initiative of Baseline Ventures and the Volleyball Federation of India, began on 2 February in Kochi and will move to Chennai for the second leg starting on 16 February.

    In its first week itself, SPN India’s digital platform SonyLIV got close to 1 million viewers watching the matches. “The impressive viewership numbers are validation of our efforts for a sport like volleyball which is so spectator-friendly. The on-ground response we got in Kochi was also very heartening. The early signs are encouraging and will push us to work harder,” RuPay PVL CEO Joy Bhattacharjya said.

    The first seven matches clocked an average reach of 2.9 million. The game that garnered the highest rating was when Calicut Heroes played U Mumba Volley on 5 February with 328,000 impressions (number of viewers at any given point of time during the match). On the other hand, per match impressions were at 237,000 and average time spent per viewer per match stood at 11 minutes.

    SPN India chief revenue officer distribution and head – sports business Rajesh Kaul said, “The response from the inaugural PVL is in line with our expectations. Audience engagement has been very high both on-screen and on-ground as well, with over 14 million viewers across India tuning into Sony SIX and Sony TEN 3 channels to watch RuPay PVL so far. While the sport has always had a strong following in the South, it is exciting to see markets like Assam. West Bengal, Gujarat and Haryana also showing great interest. This is a clear indication of the widening interest amongst audiences for multi-sports, which has been a key focus area for us to build the sporting environment in the country.”

    Even the volleyball fantasy game built by MyTeam11 has seen a consistent rise in daily users leading the company to double to prize pool from Rs 50 thousand to Rs 1 lakh. From the initial days of the league with 15 thousand gaming participants, the platform has now touched over 49,000 fans.

    The second leg of the RuPay PVL starts from February 16 2019 in Chennai at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium where Chennai Spartans will take on U Mumba Volley.

  • 60 crore ad revenue, 36% viewership hike: Pro Kabaddi League a hat-trick of success

    60 crore ad revenue, 36% viewership hike: Pro Kabaddi League a hat-trick of success

    MUMBAI: The third season did not make fans wait for the too long a period of a year. After a gap of merely a few months Star Sports Pro Kabaddi league was back in action. The mats were the same and there was no change in the number of teams or formats. The only change was the sport had become popular and the tournament had to deal with the burden of expectation. 

    “Star India is a champion when it comes to dealing with expectations” says a franchisee owner on condition of anonymity. He further adds, “Many media people will tell you about the marketing and packaging, but the distribution push that they have given has done a world of good for the sport. Only Star Sports would have got them 40 per cent of the reach they have got. Star Gold and other channels is what has done the trick.” 

    The broadcaster has roped in six associate sponsors for season 3 in Bajaj, TVS, Flipkart, State Bank of India, Gionee and Idea, while Fair & Lovely, Nissin and Mountain Dew are associated as partners. “The ad revenue generated this time would easily count to Rs 60 crore, which is a twenty per cent growth compared to the last edition. This signifies the smart way of monetising that Star has adopted” asserts a media sports media planning expert.

    The broadcaster did not sell the title sponsor slot as that takes away majority of the inventory, and instead decided to keep it to itself. “The biggest reason why it’s successful is because the broadcaster is the primary owner and the selling is packaged. The brands get the ROI by having presence both on ground and on television, hence they show immense interest.” opines a senior media planning expert.

    The 20 per cent hike in revenue is well complemented by a 36 per cent rise in viewership.  While viewership at All India Urban level increased by 36 per cent from 54.5 TVMs in season 2 to 74 TVMs in season 3, Rural India also joined the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi fan bandwagon, delivering a staggering 135 TVMs according to the BARC CS4+ Rural for its first week in season 3. 

    On the rise of viewership Star India CEO Uday Shankar had said in a media statement, “No other sport has grown so fast and gained such wide and deep following with fans across urban and rural India, across audience segments – men, women and kids and across screens (television and digital). The sport has truly become a unifier in its appeal, second only to cricket. This brings us a great sense of pride and is a reflection of our commitment to promote a multi-sports-culture in India.”

    The moment the twice a year concept was unveiled, critics started prophesising, possibilities of fatigue were magnified, and the quality of matches was questioned. “The seasons so far have answered all those questions, I believe” says Mashal Sports director Charu Sharma. He further adds, “The debate of exploitation does not exist in the case of Kabaddi because we are not there for a good 40 weeks time. The nature of the game is such that we need to be there twice at least for our fans.”

    The organisers are also toying with the idea of roping in more teams to make it a 12 team format. The new franchises will certainly be sold at a higher price when compared to the first set of buyers. “The game is now established and evolved, but all this will at least take more than a year. The plan is to make it a longer running tournament and then we might have a once a year outing” adds Sharma.

    Defending champion, U-Mumba is again in the semis and this makes a 100 per cent success ratio for the team. For all the three, seasons U-Mamba has managed to reach the semis which twice before they have won to qualify for the finals. “They are a formidable force with quality players in the team. The way it is managed, Ronnie and his team also plays a vital role behind their progress. I am happy with the fact that Bengal has made it to the semis, Earlier, Bengal was lacking when it comes to Kabaddi and this is a success of the tournament that new teams are reaching the knockouts” explains Sharma.

    “There has been no evidence of fatigue and the wear and tear that are common in any sport and to reach the final stages takes hard work. We had a great season and now we are looking ahead towards the semis,” says UMumba CEO Supratik Sen 

    Now steps taken by the franchises will determine the next level of success for the league.

  • 60 crore ad revenue, 36% viewership hike: Pro Kabaddi League a hat-trick of success

    60 crore ad revenue, 36% viewership hike: Pro Kabaddi League a hat-trick of success

    MUMBAI: The third season did not make fans wait for the too long a period of a year. After a gap of merely a few months Star Sports Pro Kabaddi league was back in action. The mats were the same and there was no change in the number of teams or formats. The only change was the sport had become popular and the tournament had to deal with the burden of expectation. 

    “Star India is a champion when it comes to dealing with expectations” says a franchisee owner on condition of anonymity. He further adds, “Many media people will tell you about the marketing and packaging, but the distribution push that they have given has done a world of good for the sport. Only Star Sports would have got them 40 per cent of the reach they have got. Star Gold and other channels is what has done the trick.” 

    The broadcaster has roped in six associate sponsors for season 3 in Bajaj, TVS, Flipkart, State Bank of India, Gionee and Idea, while Fair & Lovely, Nissin and Mountain Dew are associated as partners. “The ad revenue generated this time would easily count to Rs 60 crore, which is a twenty per cent growth compared to the last edition. This signifies the smart way of monetising that Star has adopted” asserts a media sports media planning expert.

    The broadcaster did not sell the title sponsor slot as that takes away majority of the inventory, and instead decided to keep it to itself. “The biggest reason why it’s successful is because the broadcaster is the primary owner and the selling is packaged. The brands get the ROI by having presence both on ground and on television, hence they show immense interest.” opines a senior media planning expert.

    The 20 per cent hike in revenue is well complemented by a 36 per cent rise in viewership.  While viewership at All India Urban level increased by 36 per cent from 54.5 TVMs in season 2 to 74 TVMs in season 3, Rural India also joined the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi fan bandwagon, delivering a staggering 135 TVMs according to the BARC CS4+ Rural for its first week in season 3. 

    On the rise of viewership Star India CEO Uday Shankar had said in a media statement, “No other sport has grown so fast and gained such wide and deep following with fans across urban and rural India, across audience segments – men, women and kids and across screens (television and digital). The sport has truly become a unifier in its appeal, second only to cricket. This brings us a great sense of pride and is a reflection of our commitment to promote a multi-sports-culture in India.”

    The moment the twice a year concept was unveiled, critics started prophesising, possibilities of fatigue were magnified, and the quality of matches was questioned. “The seasons so far have answered all those questions, I believe” says Mashal Sports director Charu Sharma. He further adds, “The debate of exploitation does not exist in the case of Kabaddi because we are not there for a good 40 weeks time. The nature of the game is such that we need to be there twice at least for our fans.”

    The organisers are also toying with the idea of roping in more teams to make it a 12 team format. The new franchises will certainly be sold at a higher price when compared to the first set of buyers. “The game is now established and evolved, but all this will at least take more than a year. The plan is to make it a longer running tournament and then we might have a once a year outing” adds Sharma.

    Defending champion, U-Mumba is again in the semis and this makes a 100 per cent success ratio for the team. For all the three, seasons U-Mamba has managed to reach the semis which twice before they have won to qualify for the finals. “They are a formidable force with quality players in the team. The way it is managed, Ronnie and his team also plays a vital role behind their progress. I am happy with the fact that Bengal has made it to the semis, Earlier, Bengal was lacking when it comes to Kabaddi and this is a success of the tournament that new teams are reaching the knockouts” explains Sharma.

    “There has been no evidence of fatigue and the wear and tear that are common in any sport and to reach the final stages takes hard work. We had a great season and now we are looking ahead towards the semis,” says UMumba CEO Supratik Sen 

    Now steps taken by the franchises will determine the next level of success for the league.

  • Pro Kabaddi League season 2 garners 45% growth in viewership

    Pro Kabaddi League season 2 garners 45% growth in viewership

    MUMBAI: Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League season 2 witnessed a stunning opening with a 45 per cent viewership increase as compared to its inaugural season last year.

     

    The opening game on 18 July between defending champions Jaipur Pink Panthers and last year’s finalists U Mumba, rated 7.2 TVM (BARC panel CS4+), which is 45 per cent higher than the opening game of last season (TAM Panel CS4+).

     

    This kick-start to the second season validates that viewers have moved beyond the initial curiosity of season one to a deeper level of affinity and engagement with this aspirational Indian sport.

     

    The appeal of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League has cut across demographics with the core, urban, youth audiences passionately following the game while women and children continued to contribute about 50 per cent of viewership showing the universal appeal of the sport. The metro contribution was 64 per cent to overall television viewership demonstrating that the urban, millennialist audiences have a strong affinity for the sport. The League scored big on the digital front too. Hotstar, the online broadcaster of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League, witnessed a massive interest from metros and large cities.

     

    Star India CEO Uday Shankar said, “We are overwhelmed and delighted to see the Indian fan’s rediscovery and passionate following of the uber-cool, Indian sport of Kabaddi. Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League has grown from strength to strength and while season 1 was about re-discovering the game, season 2 has seen a deepening of engagement and appreciation for the sport and its heroes. We would like to thank our partners International Kabaddi Federation (IKF), Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), Mashal Sports and our sponsors for their tireless commitment towards realizing this great vision.”

     

    Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League has become one of the most talked-about events on social media. The opening day of the tournament saw #ProKabaddi trending across India, as fans from Jaipur and Mumbai resumed their rivalry in a replay of last year’s final. To date, the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League season 2 has seen over 230,000 conversations on social platforms driving five billion potential impressions. This is approximately three times greater than last year.

     

    Additionally, Hotstar launched a series of unique content with shows like Jabaddi where Bollywood veteran Jaaved Jaaferi narrates and reacts to the most entertaining moments of the game on a weekly basis and Ultimate Panga hosted by Rannvijay Singha, who puts Kabaddi’s superheroes through a series of tasks to test their skill and strength.

     

    Hotstar also associated with VJ Jose to create Tickle Bomb, which are short and funny clips that builds the ‘Kabaddi is fun’ quotient.

  • U Mumba partners Enerzal for Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League 2

    U Mumba partners Enerzal for Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League 2

    MUMBAI: Ronnie Screwvala owned Kabbadi team U Mumba has partnered with energy drink Enerzal as its official ‘Hydration Partner’ for this season of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League.

     

    With this alliance, Enerzal will be featured on the back of the players’ jersey and on LED display panels at match venues.

     

    Supporting sports has been an integral part of Enerzal’s profile and consumer engagement. Prior to this, the brand has associated with events such as Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, Airtel Delhi Half Marathon and Tata Consultancy Services World 10K amongst other sporting properties.

     

    FDC executive director Ameya Chandavarkar said, “Enerzal is delighted to be associated with U Mumba as the Official Hydration Partner. This association is our first step into the spectator sporting arena and we are excited to further our role in the sporting revolution India is experiencing. Enerzal is a balanced energy drink and will ensure that the players are optimally hydrated during training as well as the Pro Kabaddi League matches. We wish the entire U Mumba team all the success and hope they continue their winning streak in the competition.”

     

    U Mumba, runner-up in season one of the League, is leading the points table in this season led by captain Anup Kumar and coached by Bhaskaran Edachery. The team concluded their home leg undefeated and will be playing next in Patna, after winning their games in Kolkata and Jaipur.

     

    “We’re delighted to have Enerzal on board as our Official Hydration Partner. They’re one of the leading brands in the category and the product will certainly be vital in helping the team maintain optimum energy levels during their matches as well as training,” said U Sports CEO Supratik Sen.

  • Sports365.in launches U Mumba’s official merchandise

    Sports365.in launches U Mumba’s official merchandise

    MUMBAI: Sports365.in has launched the official merchandise of the Mumbai-based Kabaddi team, U Mumba, exclusively on its website. It has associated as the online channel partner for the team and its merchandising partner ‘Sports & Beyond’ in a bid to exclusively market their products online.

     

    Sports365.in founder and CEO G Chandra Sekhar Reddy, “U Mumba has won the hearts of many Indians, especially with its recent win over Puneri Paltan. It is one of the most popular and well-loved Kabaddi teams of the country and we are pleased to offer its official merchandise exclusively on our platform. The availability of the new product line will attract more Kabaddi fans to our online store and also further bolster the love for the sport in India.”

     

    As of now, U Mumba’s and its sports partner’s range of products is solely available on Sports365.in. The portal plans to facilitate the sale of the merchandise on other online marketplaces like Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal, Paytm and Shopclues in the coming days.

  • Pro Kabaddi League season 2 pushed to July

    Pro Kabaddi League season 2 pushed to July

    MUMBAI: The Pro Kabaddi League was a surprise package last year wherein the sport managed to grab eyeballs on television and heavy presence of audience at the stadiums too.

     

    While the first edition of the league was held from 26 July to 31 August 2014, League promoter Anand Mahindra had said on the day of the finale, “We are very happy with the response for the League and Kabaddi and so will be back as early as March 2015.”

     

    However, now official sources have confirmed to Indiantelevision.com that the second edition of the League will not be kicked off in March but during the same window period as last year, i.e July to August 2015.

     

    The reason for the shift in schedule is being attributed to the evident clash with this year’s biggest sporting spectacle, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

     

    Official broadcaster of the World Cup, Star Sports is also the broadcast partner for the Pro Kabaddi League. With Star Sports having its hands completely tied up with the Cricket World Cup, the League’s second season will now only kick off in the July to August 2015 period.

     

    Pro Kabaddi League was conceptualised by Mahindra and commentator Charu Sharma through their venture Mashal Sports. Sharma, known for his knowledge of the game, will also be seen playing the role of a cricket commentator during this edition of the World Cup.

     

    The last maiden season of the league was won by Abhishek Bachchan owned Jaipur Pink Panthers, which defeated Ronnie Screwvala owned U Mumba. Sources also confirmed that the second edition will not see any additional franchises taking part.

  • Post Kabaddi, Ronnie Screwvala owned U Sports forays into football

    Post Kabaddi, Ronnie Screwvala owned U Sports forays into football

    MUMBAI: After owning the Kabaddi franchise U-Mumba, in the first edition of the Pro Kabaddi League, Ronnie Screwvala owned U Sports, which is the sport division arm of Unilazer Ventures, has now forayed into another sports playground- football.

     

    The company owned by Screwvala has launched a football training and academic programme ‘U-Dream’, to help develop Indian football players who are promising enough to place India on the professional football circuit. With collaborative guidance of Bundesliga, U Sports has partnered with TSG 1889 Hoffenheim for the first edition of U-Dream football.

    The programme plans to encourage participation from talented football players of 13 or 14 years of age, in the first year where the focus is to transform young talent into a pro-team of Under-17 footballers. However, the search will widen to Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 categories from the year 2016 onwards.

    According to U Sports CEO Supratik Sen with over 20,000 football players across the globe earning more than $ 1 million a year, suggests that there are very few careers as exceptional as a professional footballers.

    “Our alliance will set the ball rolling as it will help build a strong talent pool that will compete in the developed and evolved football market. The programme will also equip players with education and infrastructure support hence taking them closer to their dream of becoming a pro player. We hope to reach out to the finest Under-17 football talent who will represent India in Under-17 World Cup in 2017,” he added.

    The programme will start with talent selection tournaments conducted between January and April 2015, across 50 cities which will see participation from 1000 schools. By the year 2016, the programme aims to deepen its reach by widening the search to 100 cities, registering participation from 2,000 schools. There will be an expert judging panel comprising project advisor Subrata Paul, chief of training Mahesh Gawli, and TSG Hoffenheim international advisor Lutz Pfannenstiel who will oversee the selection process to identify the players who will be sent to Germany for the six year residential programme. A team of five Indian coaches and three German coach/ scouts will closely monitor the tournaments in each city.

    This year, only 30 footballers identified from a talent hunt will be sent to Zuzenhausen, in Germany where they will train at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s youth training academy with complete access to the club’s facilities and world-class infrastructure.

    To ensure there is an equal focus on the young footballer’s academic development along with football training, U Sports has decided to collaborate with Motilal Nehru School of Sports, Rai. Founded by the government of Haryana, its primary objective is to provide education facilities with equal emphasis on sports to deserving students. The school will conduct a 10-day schooling camp for the 30 athlete students and their parents at the school campus prior to their departure where they will be briefed on the curriculum, course structure and programme tutors.

    The 30 student athletes will undergo CBSE education coupled with German language training in the first year of the programme. In the second year, they will have an option to continue with CBSE schooling or apply for admission in the German Public Education system. The programme will also offer counseling to the players to help them decide on the course of action if they wish to opt for German education.

    Hoffenheim head of match operations and first team administration Thomas Richter, who is also responsible for the club’s internationalization said, “Talent development at the grass-root level is paramount in Bundesliga and is the key in placing India in the international football circuit as this can serve as an opportunity to produce the finest football talent from the country, who are groomed from a young age.”

    The programme is open to all school children of 13 or 14 years of age. Bonafide students born on or after 1 January 2000 but on or before 31 December 2001 can apply.

     

  • When Kabaddi turned Pink!

    When Kabaddi turned Pink!

    Pink is the new colour of Kabaddi. The colour, associated with sensitivity, tenderness and femininity is definitely in stark contrast to the indigenous game which has its origins dating to the pre historic times. On 31 August,  when Jaipur Pink Panthers clawed U-Mumba during a nail biting finale of the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League, the highly agile and contact sport was covered in Pink and announced its presence on the world stage.

     

    The Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) which spanned 37 days and 60 matches, finally culminated at the National Sports Complex of India, Mumbai, the very same venue where the seeds of the game were first sown. While the Abhishek Bachchan-owned Jaipur Pink Panthers lifted the coveted trophy, the Ronnie Screwvala-owned U-Mumba team had to be content with the second spot.

     

    While many, including advertisers were skeptical whether the league would be able to generate audience’s interest both at the stadiums and on TV, the results are all out for the world to see. Not just male audiences, but women and children lapped up the game as they came in full gear supporting their respective teams with flags and merchandise. Families from Patna to Vizag, filled the stadiums with not just their presence but also their loud chants, enthusiasm, glee and even disappointment when their teams had to bid farewell. People connected to every raid taken by the 24 year old Jaipur Pink Panthers’ captain Maninder Singh. Players like him and U-Mumba captain Anup Kumar have a new-found fan base now. The last time when such enthusiasm was showcased was probably at the Wankhede stadium for India’s first love-Cricket.

     

    During the opening night 66 million Indians tuned in to watch the games on Star Sports and Star Gold claims the channel. On the micro blogging site Twitter, Star said it had generated conversations that were trending for nearly two days.

     

    No one but Star India, businessman Anand Mahindra and promoter Charu Sharma could have augured the path that Kabaddi has taken today. When Star India COO Sanjay Gupta earlier said that the sport would fit their objective of transforming the sports landscape in India, he was right. India seems to have found its second sport.

     

    The league proves that with a balanced mix of corporate backing, government support, telecast backing combined with international quality production values and celebrity endorsement, a lost game can draw renewed crowds to the stadium or tune in their TV sets. Therefore, it’s hardly a surprise that restaurants, bars and lounges had their customers asking for Kabaddi to witness the performance of 96 of the world’s best Kabaddi players. A few parents who complained that their kids were turning into couch potatoes are smiling, since their kids are now in the open playing the game.

     

    This has been driven by celebrities/owners of teams including Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Sachin Tendulkar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who pledged their support to the games by being present at the venue.

     

    All in all, we eagerly wait to wear our favourite T-shirts at the next edition of the league beginning in March 2015 (hope the advertisers are listening!).