Indian kabaddi league represents a growing opportunity

Outlook

India’s professional kabaddi league, launched in 2014 by Mashal Sports and Star India (a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox), began its sixth season earlier this month.

The league expanded to twelve from eight franchises ahead of the fifth season last year. The Chinese technology company Vivo became the title sponsor, paying some 3 billion rupees (41 million dollars) in a five-year deal. The fifth season’s final was 2017’s highest-rated non-cricket event on Indian television.

Kabaddi will feature prominently in India’s expanding sports-entertainment industry, and the growing continent-wide popularity of India’s home-grown team contact sport will increase the country’s soft power.

Impacts

• Franchise owners will try to cultivate international as well as domestic fan bases to develop their brands.
• The growing television and digital audience, comprising various demographics, will draw more sponsors and advertisers.
• As the league rises in popularity, illegal betting could be a risk to its reputation.
• Franchise-aligned academies will increase and become important agents of development in poorer areas.
• India will see more professional sports leagues, though the IPL will continue to make the most revenue.