 "Action from a match between Bengaluru Bulls and Telugu Titans in the Pro Kabaddi League")
Star India will bring the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League on air in June for the fourth season. The network made the announcement as the ongoing third season enters the semi-finals stage, being held in New Delhi.
The fourth season will take place from June 25 to July 31, with the existing eight teams participating. This is the first time a sporting league will have two seasons in a calendar year. “Unlike cricket and football, in case of kabaddi, fans have limited opportunities to engage with the live sport. So, we decided to have the league twice a year,” says Nitin Kukreja, president and head, sports, Star India.
Football fans have access to the sport in the form of various FIFA events, English Premier League and La Liga. In case of cricket, there are numerous bilateral series, multi-national tournaments and ICC events that keep the fans engaged.
Similar is the case with tennis, with thefour grand slams providing a full calendar for the fans to look forward to. Star India is also toying with the idea ofa Kabaddi World Cup in the last quarter of the year, though not much has beenfirmed up on the matter.
Kukreja informs that given the response to the third season – by viewers and advertisers, the time is right to increase the exposure of the sport in the country. Season 3 of the PKL has seen a 30 per cent hike in television ratings from the previous season and half of the league sponsors have renewed their association from season two. Kukreja is confident that the brands will continue to associate with the league, and increase volume of kabaddi will only help the cause.
