Jubilee Post News & Views
Pro Kabaddi has been a major part of the sporting scene in India since its inaugural season, in 2014. At first, there was some doubt about the potential for the league to succeed given the competition from the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Indian Super League (ISL). While kabaddi is never likely to overtake cricket as the favorite sport in India, the PKL has proved to be popular with fans in the intervening years. The first season alone was watched by 435 million people.
The league briefly changed to a division format in 2017 but by 2019 it had returned to its more familiar round-robin format. There is a good reason for this given that it seems to be popular with viewers. It’s not just broadcasters that have benefited from the number of people watching professional kabaddi. For example, 10cric was inspired by this popularity when devising its India centric sports betting content. The aim of all invested organisations is to make sure that people get to watch the sport they love, and place a bet if they choose to. However, the last few months have proved to be challenging for all involved in the PKL and its viewing, just as they have been in all sports.
Postponement of PKL Season 8
Anyone who takes a look at the PKL site will see that Season 8 was postponed as a result of the global pandemic. As a result, the site contains stories that aim to keep fans connected with their favourite players.
The current situation is understandable. Given the situation, with the spread of Covid-19 in India, it was not possible for the league to continue unaffected. However, given the return of many professional sports leagues across the world, kabaddi followers are asking when the PKL is likely to be back.
When will the PKL return?
The truth is that no-one knows exactly when India’s kabaddi professionals will be back playing again, although there is a good chance it will happen at some point in 2021. There are many factors that will be considered when the decision is being made.
For example, the ISL is likely to take up valuable screen take as will IPL 2021. This may cause organisers of the PKL to delay further even when they are technically able to return to action. This is even more likely if the Olympics also takes place and is likely to take viewers away from PKL action.
The logistics of getting back to action in the pro league also need to be considered. For example, will players still be able to play in indoor stadiums or will a move outdoors be required? Given everything that needs to be considered, and the current situation with the pandemic, it may be a while before kabaddi fans can see live action again. Hopefully, this will happen during 2021 and sooner rather than later.
