A NATION OF LEAGUES
After much speculation, football becomes the latest sport to jump onto the league bandwagon in India
INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE
India’s triumph in the WT20 in 2007 laid the foundation for a revolution in the way cricket was followed. The BCCI took advantage of the victory and exploited it with the introduction of the franchisebased Indian Premier League. Television deals touched unparalleled heights and so did players’ salaries. The success of the IPL, inspired by other global leagues, including EPL and NBA, saw leagues crop up in other sports too. The IPL became an instant hit although it has had its share of controversies.
INDIAN BADMINTON LEAGUE
With India’s shuttlers led by London Olympics medallist Saina Nehwal making an impact on the global map, the Badminton Authority of India took the opportunity to introduce the IBL last year. Players from across the world including world No 1 Lee Chong Wei turned up for the six-team event that featured a round-robin stage before the knockouts. However, the league faced delays and had a rough inaugural edition. The second season has been postponed to September.
HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE
The interest in hockey waning in the country, the Hockey India took a cue from the IPL and introduced the Hockey India League. An international window was created for the tournament and that allowed top players to turn up for the event. The first season in 2013 saw the participation of five teams vying for four knockout spots. A minor stir was created over the presence of Pakistan players in the tournament. The second edition this year saw viral marketing to promote the league and six teams.
INTERNATIONAL TENNIS PREMIER LEAGUE
Experimenting with a tweaked format, the first edition of the Mahesh Bhupathi-promoted ITPL will take place in Nov. Four teams of 10 players each will play best-of-five round robin matches in Bangkok, Dubai, Mumbai and Singapore. Each match will consist of a set each of men’s and women’s singles, men’s doubles, mixed doubles, and legends singles. Big names including Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi are set to play.
KABADDI/WRESTLING
With top sports already making a mark with their respective leagues, India’s traditional sports are not far behind. The maiden edition of the Indian Wrestling League will take place later this year. The million-dollar league will feature men and women taking part in the freestyle category. Seven teams will be taking part. Kabbadi will get a fillip with the Pro-Kabbadi league that will feature eight city-based teams. Over 100 players from India and abroad are expected to be available for the auction.