PKL 2019 | We have simplified the format for comprehension and equitability of matches, says Anupam Goswami
Anupam Goswami, the executive head of Mashal Sports and the League Commissioner of PKL, is of the belief that the new format will help in improving the understandability of the sport. This is the seventh edition of the league and the organisers have scrapped the older zonal format for this year.
Pro Kabaddi has come a long way from its inception in 2104, this is the seventh edition of pro kabaddi and it has helped immensely in revolutionizing the sport.PKL is India’s biggest sports league in terms of geographical representation and number of teams. It added four new teams in the fifth edition of the league taking the total number to 12.
Last season PKL had the Zonal format in which the 12 teams were divided into two zones, in this edition the organizers decided to shake things up by changing the format to double round-robin. In this format, each team will play the other team twice.
“We have simplified the format for comprehension and equitability of matches played by teams. All teams are placed in one zone - and the double round-robin has been introduced with a clear focus on achieving a parity or proximity in the number of matches played. This in turn will make all matches, regardless of when they are played, relevant and vital for teams and fans. We have also reduced the number of home matches in home legs; to reduce the risk for home teams and also give them more rest and recovery time,” Goswami told TOI.
The Kabaddi craze is not just limited to India it is well and truly growing to other parts of the world as well. To engage the audience before the actual start of PKL an All Stars match was played between World 7 and Indann 7 last week.
“All great leagues around the world have evolved product offering around ‘best-of-best’ players. The most striking quality of PKL is that it does genuinely have the best kabaddi player and from overseas. The latter results from the close support that PKL receives from AKFI as well as IKF. So, PKL has the athlete assets to mount a genuine and credible “All-Stars’ programme,” the PKL league commissioner explained.
The match was an all-round success with World 7 winning by just one point. It was a well-fought match which was thoroughly entertaining.
“Just like any great and successful sports league around the world, PKL should offer multiple propositions for fans and kabaddi lovers. An All-Stars initiative is one such initiative, where we used the PKL pool of athletes to create an ‘Indian 7’ and a ‘Rest-of-World 7’ for a friendly match to promote Kabaddi overall and to new audiences.” Goswami added.
This edition of PKL opens with the match between Telugu Titans and U Mumba at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad and energies will be running high in the much-anticipated start of the tournament.
“In Season VI, the League had to move out of Hyderabad due local elections. Now, we are excited that the League is returning to Gachibowli stadium, Hyderabad. We have planned multiple fan engagement activities through the week, with a big opening ceremony scheduled on 18th of July at the iconic Hussain Sagar lake. We want fans to celebrate the return of VIVO Pro Kabaddi League, and enjoy every match in each city,” Goswami signed off.