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The majority stakeholder in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) – Star India – has committed to put in an additional Rs 70 crores to help the franchise grow. Moreover, they have decided to retain the title sponsorship for the second season of the league.
Star India COO, Sanjay Gupta, said that they have been overwhelmed by the demand from sponsors from all sectors to associate with the PKL.
“We have been very encouraged by the overwhelming demand from sponsors to associate with Pro Kabaddi League Season 2. We have seen a lot of interest across sectors like auto, telecom and e-commerce, but we have decided to nurture the sport by retaining the title sponsorship with Star Sports,” said Gupta.
“This year, we are investing to significantly scale up the game and viewership which will help raise its value for future seasons and further grow the sport.”
According to sources, Star wanted to sell the title sponsorship rights for Rs. 20 crores, but the offer from the interested companies fell below Star’s valuation. Coca-Cola has been named as the associate sponsor for PKL 2 along with Thums Up. Companies like Bajaj Electricals, TVS Motor Co., Flipkart and VIP have tied up with Star for the PKL.
Players from around 50 countries to take part
CEO of IPG Media Brands, India, Shashi Sinha said that it is good that Star retained the sponsorship and said that Kabaddi has the ability to reach all audiences.
He said, “The property is still developing, so it's good that Star has retained it. Kabaddi is a short game with hardly any time between the games, unlike cricket. As last season showed, this Indian sport cuts across all audiences – from an upscale one to a huge women fan base. A brand which would have come in as a title sponsor would have eaten up all the short inventory, so now the rest of the sponsors will get adequate time.”
The first edition of the PKL was viewed by a record 43 crore viewers. And to attract a worldwide audience, Star will be contracting players from 34 kabaddi-playing nations besides 15-16 other countries, where Kabaddi has garnered interest, like the United States of America.
“It is our sport. The fear that it would not cross into the urban viewers has been allayed,” concluded Sanjay Gupta.
