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Tenzing Niyogi, the brain behind and the CEO of Ultimate Kho Kho, bears a calm demeanor. The success of the league has brought him nothing but appreciation and awarded him laurels. What he has created is a successful and sustainable business model that is unparalleled.
In Ultimate Kho Kho, there were a few changes in scoring rules for Season 2 as compared to its inaugural season. There were no additional points on offer for a Sky Dive and a Pole Dive while defenders had to last three minutes for a Dream Run instead of two and a half minutes.
While these rule changes had some mixed reactions, there has been a lot of thought that has gone behind them.
Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, Tenzing Niyogi divulged the thought process that went into the changes, while also speaking about the inculcation of these rules in domestic and international kho kho.
Read excerpts from the interview below:
Q: We have seen a few scoring rules being changed this year for both attackers and defenders alike. How have they been received and what was the thought process behind this change? Do you think there's more tinkering we need to do with the rules or are they good enough?
Can a Pole Dive be awarded the same points as a regular touch point? Considering how a Pole Dive takes a lot of skill to execute?
Tenzing Niyogi: So you've got a point, right? You have a point in the pole dive side of the story. I'll tell you, where we came up with was the fact that end of the day, any sports league depends itself on the larger television audiences. Kho kho is a very fairly easy sport to understand. It's a tag sport, world's only tag sport - run and chase model in a team format.
Say for example, let's take the Jonty Rhodes run-out. When Inzamam hit it and Inzamam got run out and Jhonty Rhodes did the skydive and broke all the three stumps - what were you watching? Were you watching how much Inzamam got out on or were you watching Jonty Rhodes doing the skydive? That's the beauty of television.
If you do a micro analysis, you'll understand that you're not concerned about the points. You're concerned about the actions. If you simplify the points. So for example, if Roberto Carlos scored that lovely banana free kick for Brazil, what did you watch? The ball swinging and the goalkeeper missing or did you watch that they got one point? Because you already know as a fan that you're getting one point. It's simple. So then you start believing and absorbing and enjoying the action.
Sport like kho kho, which is filled, packed with action moments, spectacle on air, pole dive, skydive, simple touch is a regular piece. But there's a skill set of dodging where the Wazir comes in. What we wanted to do was we wanted to simplify the points so that people start enjoying the spectacle on air.
So the lesser complicated the point system, the better it is absorbed on air for youngsters also. So we've kept two pointers for and it goes at par for both the both the teams. From that perspective, it is given only good reviews this season.
Number two, as far as this dream run is concerned, we increased it from two and a half minutes to three minutes. But every match in Ultimate Kho Kho season two has been a pot boiler. So we would rather not complicate it and keep it as simple as possible for the eight to 15 year old to fall in love with the sport and the spectacle and the 18 to 35 to understand.
Let me just see the picture-in-picture and see how did he do the skydives. If I'm worried about whether he got two or three points, then I'll miss out on that because it's a fast game, 28-minute lovely action leading up to a one hour appointment viewing.
I can only keep my audience's attention span for that particular time might as well give them a clean space in terms of points scored and then let them choose whether they want to see points scored or action happening and we always choose the latter. So that's the logic.
Q: Pro Kabaddi introduced some revolutionary rules which were later inducted by the International Federation as well. With UKK's innovative rules in place, can we see Wazirs and Power Plays being adopted by Indian and international kho kho federations?
Tenzing Niyogi: It is happening. I am glad you are asking this question. Because there is a process of unification that has already started happening with KKFI. I have spoken with the President and I have told him that these rules should be unified. Because all coaches, all the next-gen players need to know how Wazirs play. Their skill sets.
It may be a nine-member but the gameplay will be the same. So, there are Wazirs already been included in multiple states. Conversations are going on on that side. Power play also might get included. They will get included in across state associations. It will take time. It has its own gestation period. But we will be eventually putting that across.
It has already started implementing. Because if that doesn't happen, then there is no trickle-down at the bottom. So, the kid is just starting to play. He is watching kho kho and he is understanding that it is a seven-minute power play and it is Wazir. This is the game. Nothing else has changed. The skill set is not changing. But if you are showing that Wazir should play in a particular way. That is being implemented. So, I am glad you asked this question. Yes, we have implemented that.
