Indo International Premier Kabaddi League ropes in BookMyShow as its official ticketing partner

Indo International Premier Kabaddi League (IPKL), the new kabaddi league promoted by New Kabaddi Federation (NKF) with DSport channel as host broadcaster, has brought on board BookMyShow as its official ticketing partner for the inaugural season.

The IPKL in its first edition will see eight teams vie for the top honours from May 13-June 4 across three locations — Pune, Mysore and Bengaluru.

Tickets for the first season of IPKL will be available on the online ticketing platform BookMyShow app and website. Users can also book their tickets offline from the BookMyShow Box Office, set up at various local centres within the host cities. With this, fans across the board can experience the thrill of a live game with the new revolution in kabaddi.

Speaking about the partnership and on behalf of the host broadcaster DSport (premium sports TV channel of Discovery Communications India), RC Venkateish, CEO, Lex Sportel Vision Pvt. Ltd., India said, “We are happy to have BookMyShow on board as IPKL’s official ticketing partner and this is indeed a great step towards making the IPKL more accessible. Through its vast experience, BookMyShow, along with selling tickets online, will also set up various kiosks at local centres to ensure easy availability of tickets for the inaugural edition. Keeping in mind the growing popularity of the sport and the way it cuts across all social strata, we have ensured IPKL tickets are priced reasonably enough to allow everyone to come and enjoy the evening along with friends and family.”

The winning team of IPKL season 1 will walk away with a winner’s cheque of Rs 1.25 crore while the runners-up would go back with a hefty sum of Rs 75 lakh. The third-placed team would earn a total of Rs 50 lakh while the fourth placed would get a sum of Rs 25 lakh. What sets apart the IPKL is its remuneration strategy, where apart from the salaries and prize money, 20% of the revenue from the league would be equally distributed among all the players. NKF becomes the only federation to take this step after BCCI.

“Kabaddi in India has established itself as a truly popular sport today, giving consumers a great gladiatorial experience. At BookMyShow, we have been fortunate to see how the consumer has responded to the sport and evolved over the years. Using these nuanced insights and our extensive experience in driving value for sporting properties via ticketing, we are glad to join hands with IPKL as their official ticketing partners. The sports landscape in India is undergoing a transformation and IPKL’s entry is a welcome addition. We are certain that while fans turn out to attend the matches in huge numbers to enjoy this live entertainment experience, their attendance and consequent revenues from ticket sales will augur well for the economies of the sport. We look forward to a long, strategic and fruitful association with IPKL,” said Albert Almeida, COO, Live Entertainment, BookMyShow.

Ravi Kiran, Director, IPKL, said, “BookMyShow is a renowned and trusted name in entertainment landscape and we are glad to have the best on board with us. Ticketing is a prime resource for the revenues and given the sport’s popularity, I am sure we are going to see a packed stadium for each of the three legs of IPKL in its inaugural season.”

The IPKL in its inaugural season will see a total of 44 matches being played between eight franchisees — Bangalore Rhinos, Chennai Challengers, Diler Delhi, Telugu Bulls, Pune Pride, Haryana Heroes, Mumbai CheRaje and Pondicherry Predators. The first season will see these eight franchisees fight it out for the top honours across Pune (May 13-21) at the Balewadi Stadium; Mysore (May 24-29) at the ChamundiVihar Stadium and Bengaluru for the Finalleg (1-4 June) at the famous Kanteerava Stadium. The inaugural season will see a total of 160 players, including 16 foreigners, making their way to the eight teams with heavy emphasis on showcasing local talent for each franchisee. All the Indian players were selected after rigorous selection trials conducted across the country over four months. Each team will comprise marquee players and will include five raiders, seven defenders and three all-rounders besides two foreign signings. One coach and physio will also be assigned to the teams.

The first edition of the IPKL will be broadcast live on DSport (English), MTV and MTV HD+ (Hindi) as well as several other regional networks.

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