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Pro Kabaddi League on Star Sports ignites festive cheer for advertisers
Mumbai: With the festive season fast approaching, advertisers are busy finalizing media plans to acquire and retain customers. The upcoming eleventh season of the Pro Kabaddi League, launching mid-October, offers a prime platform for brands to strategically unveil new products, amplify festive promotions, enter new markets, and elevate their premium positioning. The last edition of Pro Kabaddi League reached a whopping 351 million viewers, achieving a 20 per cent growth from the preceding edition. A large part of this reach was driven by premium audiences with 65 per cent coming from NCCS AB households. What makes Pro Kabaddi League unique is the high-octane format and the collective viewing experience of the sport, commanding a watch-time of over 50 per cent – higher than most other sports on live broadcast.
Reasons that make Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 on Star Sports the biggest festive media plan for advertisers:
1. Reach the Young and Affluent at Scale: Through its 10 editions, Pro Kabaddi League has managed to capture the attention of the youth, reigniting passion for India’s homegrown sport. In the previous edition, 70 per cent of the league’s reach on TV came from viewers below 40 years of age. 65 per cent of TV viewership of Season 11 was from NCCS AB households while the league’s viewership in megacities witnessed a massive 57 per cent growth.
2. Leader Across Genres during Festive: Year on year, Pro Kabaddi League has achieved leadership on television across genres, showcasing supremacy over leading impact shows. In HSM, PKL delivered a reach of 195 million, 1.75-2X of top programs including reality shows, quiz shows and talents. Similarly in South markets (TN, AP, Karnataka), PKL reached 155 million viewers, a massive 2-3X of other genres. During the festive season, active categories like FMCG, automobile and e-commerce can leverage this scale to garner incremental audiences for their brands.
3. Unlock Superior ROI: PKL on TV continues to deliver high return on investment for advertisers across categories with massive uplifts along the brand funnel during their association.
i A leading FMCG brand that associated with Pro Kabaddi League last season witnessed a 43 per cent increase in sales on a leading e-commerce platform during the season, followed by a 149 per cent increase in e-commerce enquiries and a 42 per cent increase in Google searches for the product advertised.
ii An adhesive brand that was a sponsor with the league last season witnessed a 14X return on investment through their association, with the TV association delivering a 36 per cent growth in search queries and a 56 per cent increase in website traffic. Key brand metrics witnessed massive uplifts with the brand’s consideration growing 192 per cent while purchase intent grew by a staggering 206 per cent.
4. Truly Integrated Sponsorships: Pro Kabaddi League offers a differential opportunity for sponsors like no other sporting league in India, combining the might of on-air, on-ground, access to players across teams, and digital and social media to provide a high-impact integrated platform for brands. Sponsorships with Pro Kabaddi League continue to provide the highest return on investment for brands, with associate sponsorships delivering a media value of 14X the investment, as per a study by Intelensa.
5. Immersive Brand Opportunities on Live Broadcast: The live broadcast of Pro Kabaddi League offers deep integration opportunities for advertisers. From ownership of high-impact moments during matches to Picture-In-Picture Ads that allow brands to seamlessly integrate their TVCs without going into commercial breaks and contextual augmented reality graphics as live game intervention – Star Sports delivers an immersive brand experience for viewers.
Pro Kabaddi League is a celebration of India’s very own sport and the timing of the league merging with the festive season makes the 11th edition a powerful media solution for brands across categories looking to drive premiumization and achieve scale.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
