In 2014, when Star Sports acquired the rights to broadcast the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL),
many people in India were skeptical. They questioned why anyone would watch a sport ignored
mainly by urban India and associated with dusty playing fields. However, four years later,
kabaddi has emerged as India's second most-watched sport, surpassing the viewership of the
Soccer World Cup. the incredible rise of kabaddi and its journey from obscurity to prime-time
television is a story worth sharing with the world.
Kabaddi is an indigenous Indian sport that dates back thousands of years. It originated in
ancient Tamil Nadu and was traditionally played on dusty bowls. The game involves two teams,
each taking turns to send a "raider" into the opponent's half to tag as many defenders as
possible and return to their side without being tackled. It is a fast-paced and physically
demanding sport that requires strength, agility, and strategic thinking.
The Pro Kabaddi League was launched in 2014 to revolutionize the sport and make it more
appealing to a broader audience. The league introduced a franchise-based model similar to that
of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in cricket, which allowed teams to represent different cities
and attract a loyal fan base. This strategy has been proven to be successful across multiple
sports and has managed to work wonders for the PKL as well.
The efforts of Star Sports and the organizers of the PKL paid off as kabaddi started gaining
popularity across India. From 2016 to 2017, the PKL witnessed a significant increase in TV
viewership, attracting nearly 100 million more viewers. While cricket remains the most-watched
sport in India, the PKL surpassed the viewership of the Football World Cup, a testament to the
growing popularity of kabaddi. The rise of kabaddi impacted its viewership and led to a
significant increase in investment and player salaries. In 2017, Star Sports secured the largest
sponsorship deal in India for a non-cricket sport valued at over $40 million. This injection of
funds allowed the league to attract top talent and improve the overall quality of the competition.
The players themselves reaped the benefits of kabaddi's growing popularity. Following the 2016
player auction, the highest-paid player received just under $130,000 for the season. However, in
recent years, the salaries have skyrocketed, with the highest-paid players earning up to
$210,000. This increase in player salaries reflects the growing demand for kabaddi and the
recognition of its players as valuable assets.
Kabaddi's popularity has also started to extend beyond the borders of India. At the 2018 Asian
Games, India's dominance in kabaddi was challenged as both the men's and women's teams
failed to secure gold medals. Iran emerged as the champion in both categories, signaling the
sport's global growth. Perhaps kabaddi’s meteoric rise will inspire other Indian sports to follow
suit.
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