Zee Sports signs 3-year exclusive media rights deal with Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League

New Delhi: Zee Entertainment’s sports initiative, Zee Sports, has entered a three-year partnership with the Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League (UPKL) to hold exclusive broadcast and digital rights across India. 

The agreement covers the next three seasons, with matches to air on Zee Sports and stream on Zee5, the companies said. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The tie-up, which the partners described as a first for a state-level sports property, comes as UPKL expands from eight to twelve city-based franchises this season. Season 2 begins on December 25, 2025, in Noida and will feature 71 matches over 19 days, with live telecasts in Hindi. 

“Our focus is on building sustainable and scalable regional as well as national IPs. With this partnership, we aim to give kabaddi the platform and storytelling it deserves,” said Bavesh Janavlekar, Business Head, Zee Sports. 

Sambhav Jain, Founder and Director, SJ Uplift Kabaddi, which owns and operates UPKL, said the league is moving from a regional initiative to a “scalable sporting enterprise with national ambition”, adding that Season 1 showed strong fan engagement and franchise interest. 

Zee Sports said the alliance is intended to widen UPKL’s reach and strengthen the league’s grassroots pathway, while UPKL positions the deal as a step toward a more professional and commercially sustainable kabaddi ecosystem.