Abstract

The case tracks the runaway success of the Pro Kabbadi League (PKL), a professional kabaddi league in India, and how it transformed the Indian kabaddi players who, until then, had been relatively unknown beyond their local arena, into sportstars. The case describes how PKL revolutionized the sport and brought it to the forefront by highlighting its modern and competitive face throughout India and globally. The league mainstreamed the game at home and opened the doors to new opportunities to Indian kabaddi players and brought them, fame and money. Once living in oblivion, these players made a mark, reveled in the new-found popularity of the sport, and became celebrities with a huge fan following. PKL not only revitalized the sport but also made kabaddi a viable career option for young talented players across the country. However, some analysts wondered whether commercialization would dilute the spirit of the game. Unlike cricket, which was played across urban and rural India, kabaddi was largely played in the rural and semi-urban areas. Making kabaddi an aspirational sport, sustaining a high level of viewer interest, catching the attention of a new generation of audience, involving more youngsters, and enhancing the talent pool of the game were some of the challenges the league faced, going forward.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand how PKL reformed kabaddi in India
• Identify the factors fueling the success of the league
• Examine how PKL changed the lives of the Indian kabaddi players
• Explore ways by which the talent pool of the game can be increased and the success of PKL can be sustained.

Keywords

Pro Kabaddi League,Indian Kabaddi,The Asian Kabaddi Federation (AKF),Sports marketing, Mashal Sports,#LePanga,Indian Sports league,Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI)