More than 1,000 domestic male and female players in the fray for auctions. Approximately 500 international stars who have expressed interest – a number that could rise after the Paris Olympics. Close to 30 corporates, keen on buying teams. And no players from Pakistan.
The revamped Hockey India League (HIL) is set to return this year with many new things – a bigger player purse, stricter franchise norms and just two venues instead of the usual home-and-away format.
One aspect, though, will remain the same – the non-participation of Pakistani players. According to a Hockey India official, only those international players whose countries are ranked in the top 15 of the world at present will be allowed to register for the auction, which will take place after the Paris Olympics ends in August.
Pakistan, as per the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) latest rankings, are placed 16th in the world.
A Hockey India official claimed keeping Pakistan out ‘wasn’t intentional’. “We didn’t even know that Pakistan wasn’t in the world’s top 15 when we formed the rule. Initially, we were thinking of allowing only those players whose countries were in the top 10 of the world to make sure the quality was high. But after much deliberation, we decided to make it top-15,” the official said.
Nine players from Pakistan featured in the first edition of the HIL, back in 2013. However, they were sent back in the middle of the league following political protests against them over the killing of Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir. Since then, no Pakistani players featured in the HIL, which – despite being hugely beneficial for Indian men’s hockey – was discontinued in 2017 due to the financial burden it put on the team owners.
Sanctioned window
As the repackaged league returns – the FIH has sanctioned a window from the last week of December to the first week of February – it is learnt that Hockey India’s commercial and marketing partners, Big Bang Media Ventures, have held conversations with more than 30 potential owners.
Among those who have expressed interest in buying franchises include companies that have teams in the Indian Premier League, Indian Super League and partner chess academies.
Some of them are Adani, Jindal Sports, Westbridge – who partner Viswanathan Anand’s chess academy – GMR (co-owners of the Delhi Capitals in IPL), SG Sports, whose CEO is Mahesh Bhupathi, Shrachi Sports – who sponsor East Bengal’s cricket and hockey teams – and JK Cements, among others.
The franchise owners, who will have to pay a fee of Rs 7 crore per year for men’s teams and Rs 3 crore annually for women’s, are set to be finalised in the coming weeks. The initial contract will be for 10 years, sources said.
To make it cost-efficient for the investors, the first two seasons of the HIL are likely to be held only at two venues – Ranchi and Rourkela. The men’s and the women’s leagues, meanwhile, are likely to take place simultaneously.
Once the franchise contracts are signed, the process for players’ auction will be set into motion. “The interest from international players, especially, has been overwhelming. More than 500 players have registered for the auctions and a few countries have requested us to extend the deadline until after the Olympics,” the source said.
