Pro Kabaddi League to be held twice a year now

New Delhi: After a fair completion of three successful seasons of the Pro Kabaddi league, the organisers are planning to make it biannual in the view of its larger viewership.

Supported by Rupert Murdoch's ‘Star TV’ and ‘Mashal Sports’, which counts India's Mahindra group chairman Anand Mahindra, Pro Kabaddi League is now an old traditional sport converted to a televised spectacle.

The channels have witnessed 20 per cent rise in viewership in the second edition while there was a rise of 35 per cent viewership in the third edition which concluded in March last.

VIABLE CAREER

In the last week's auction, Mohit Chillar, a right-corner defender and a clerk by profession at the Indian Railways, went for 5.3 million rupees (about $78,542) to the Bengaluru franchise.

In comparison, Rakesh Kumar had got the highest bid of 1.28 million rupees when the previous auction was held before the inaugural season in 2014.

The league's growth has prompted Telegu Titans raider Rahul Chaudhuri to give up his job with Air India, quite a feat for a sport which is popular in villages but maintains a low-profile in cricket-mad India.