Sports
JioStar drags Legends League Cricket to Delhi High Court in media rights row
The streaming giant secured an interim order on the very day the tournament was set to kick off, freezing commercial dealings and pushing the dispute toward mediation
MUMBAI: JioStar India moved fast and hit hard. On March 11th, the same day the Legends League Cricket Masters T20 Tournament was scheduled to begin, the company secured an interim order from the Delhi High Court against Absolute Legends Sports Private Limited, the outfit that runs the league, in a bitter dispute over media and commercial rights.
The petition, filed under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, before Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar, sought ad-interim protection preventing Absolute Legends from creating third-party rights, transferring, assigning or otherwise dealing with the media and commercial rights relating to the league. In plain terms: JioStar wanted to stop Absolute Legends from doing any more deals with anyone else while the dispute runs its course.
What Absolute Legends agreed to
Senior advocate Abhimanyu Bhandari, appearing for Absolute Legends, did not come to court empty-handed. He submitted that the company would file a comprehensive affidavit disclosing all commercial transactions currently being undertaken, including the agreement entered into with the second respondent in the case. The affidavit, he said, would be filed by all directors of the company.
Crucially, Bhandari also undertook that any receivables arising from commercial arrangements connected to the league would be deposited directly with the court, in an account to be opened by the registrar general, toward satisfaction of the admitted liability. The one caveat: those deposits should not prevent Absolute Legends from meeting its operational expenses necessary for the smooth functioning of its commercial activities. In other words, the company wants to keep the lights on while the legal battle plays out.
JioStar was represented by senior advocate Kunal Tandon, leading a team that included Aanchal Tandon, Niti Jain, Niharika Sharma, Nitai Agarwal and Natasa, along with Krishma Shah as the authorised representative of the petitioner.
Mediation ordered, next date set
Both sides agreed that the matter should be referred for mediation, and the court obliged. The dispute was directed to the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre, with parties ordered to appear before it on March 13th. The incharge of the mediation centre was requested to appoint a senior mediator. The case is listed before the court again on March 17th for further proceedings.
The timing could hardly be more awkward for Legends League Cricket. A tournament that was supposed to be launching was instead the subject of a courtroom freeze on the very day it was meant to kick off. Whether mediation resolves the dispute quickly or the matter returns to a full hearing on March 17th, one thing is clear: JioStar is not prepared to let its rights walk out the door without a fight.
Sports
Dream Sports Foundation partners Premier League for youth football
Workshops, masterclasses to boost coaches at Goa event from 3–14 May.
MUMBAI: India’s football dreams are getting a Premier touch and this time, it’s the coaches taking centre stage. Dream Sports Foundation (DSF), the development arm of Dream Sports, has partnered with the Premier League for the upcoming Dream Sports Championship, scheduled to be held in Goa from 3 to 14 May. The collaboration marks a strategic push to strengthen grassroots football by focusing not just on players, but the people shaping them on the sidelines.
The partnership will see the Premier League conduct a series of coach-development workshops and masterclasses during the tournament, as well as within the AIFF Under-16 Junior League ecosystem. The sessions will cover training methodology, match management, physical conditioning, sports psychology and leadership—bringing global best practices into India’s evolving academy structure.
This move builds on DSF’s role as the Official Youth Development Partner of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), with the initiative designed to plug long-standing gaps in coaching infrastructure and knowledge exchange.
By working closely with academies, clubs and support staff, both organisations are aiming to create a more structured and globally aligned development pathway—where young players benefit from better-trained mentors as much as competitive exposure.
Neel Shah, CEO, Dream Sports Foundation, said the initiative reflects a dual focus on player and coach development, adding that meaningful exposure to international standards is key to unlocking India’s footballing potential.
Premier League India managing director Hrishikesh Shende noted that the league’s growing presence in India including its Mumbai office has been centred on grassroots development, with partnerships like this helping translate global expertise into local impact.
As Indian football continues its slow but steady climb, the message is clear, better coaches today could mean better players tomorrow and perhaps, a stronger showing on the world stage in the years to come.
