Discovery India’s DSport, Viacom12’s MTV, DD Sport and several other regional broadcast networks in India have acquired rights to broadcast the inaugural Indo International Premier Kabaddi League.
DSport acquired the rights to broadcast IPKL games in English, while MTV will show league games in Hindi. The deals between the broadcasters and the New Kabaddi Federation of India will see IPKL games broadcast on pay TV and by local providers, although these were not named by the Federation.
The IPKL, which runs from May 13 to June 4, will consist of 44 matches featuring eight teams. All games will be broadcast.
The opening phase of the IPKL will feature 20 matches and will be played at Pune’s Balewadi stadium from May 13-21. The 17 games of the second phase will take place in Mysore’s Chamundai Vihar stadium from May 24-29. The final phase in Bengaluru beginning June 1st will have 7 games, with the grand finale scheduled at the Kanteerava stadium on June 4.
Kabaddi is a contact sport popular across the Indian subcontinent and parts of Asia. The IPKL will be a competitor to the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India’s league, the Pro-Kabaddi League, which has a partnership with Star Sports.