Bluesport Entertainment Pvt. Ltd on Monday announced that the inaugural season of the the Premier Handball League (PHL) will take place from June 8- 25, 2023.
Viacom18, which recently acquired global television and digital rights to broadcast the Women’s Premier League (WPL) from season 2023 to 2027, has also secured media rights for the inaugural season of PHL.
In the first season will see six teams go up against each other in round-robin format consisting of 30 matches, followed by three knockout matches to determine the ultimate champion. The 33 matches will be spread over 18 days, and each team will have a minimum of 10 matches. Each squad will consist of 17 players, made up of 14 Indian players and three foreigners.
Widely recognised as the fastest Olympic sport, handball has a strong grassroots presence in India. Handball’s popularity at the grassroots level is due to the tireless efforts of the Handball Association India.
“India is growing exponentially as a sporting nation. Handball has a very strong presence in the country, especially at the grassroots level. Our thought behind the Premier Handball League was to help utilise the popularity of the sport by giving it a platform that will amplify sports traction in India,” said Abhinav Banthia, President of Bluesport.
“Overall, we believe if you package speed, strength, stamina, agility, technical precision, skill, teamwork and fast-paced action, you come to Handball, and a league for handball will turn out to be the leading indoor sports league in this country very soon.”
Dr. Anandeshwar Pandey, Secretary General of the South Asian Handball Federation, spoke about how the league can revolutionise the sport of handball in India.
He said, “The Premier Handball League will provide the much-needed push Indian Handball has needed for years. It will also help to direct the spotlight on Handball not only in India, but all of South Asia, which I am sure will help boost participation and popularity of the sport. “
“The Premier Handball League has all the necessary elements to be a highly successful competition, especially now that they have announced Viacom18 as a broadcast partner. I am sure the league will grow rapidly as it is set to produce the star athletes of tomorrow for Indian fans to support.”
Premier Handball League will be showcased at prime time from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
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