135 years ago, the first professional sports league was established in the USA. Today, more than 100 professional leagues in various sports exist across the world, in India there are 12 national professional sports leagues, each at different levels of evolution. Current times of evolved technology provides widespread reach to professional leagues who are able to attract sponsors eager to invest in tournaments, in lieu of advertising rights.
This flow of money from advertising rights and television broadcasting means higher remuneration for players which attracts best of the players from across the world to these sports leagues. This also allows franchises to hire best of the coaches, acquire best sporting equipment and facilities, and develop scientific knowledge about sport disciplines.
Nurturing young talent for sports leagues
When a company and a sports league come together, a player is given a strong platform to demonstrate their abilities to the audience. Players can use it as a stage to present themselves in the best possible light and showcase their skills and character on the playing field. A league works as a steppingstone, offering prospects for the future in terms of contests, sponsorship opportunities, and most importantly, greater training. This is especially advantageous for young players.
The organization contributes towards structuring the National Sports Federations (under the aegis of which the leagues run) talent identification and scouting methods, player development pathways and develop player periodisation plan.
Last but not least, it creates a competitive atmosphere in which a player participates in a constant cycle of tournaments, gaining a wealth of an experience.
It all starts from school!
Every child’s foundation is laid in school.
Sports have exploded in India thanks to a variety of leagues, including the Premier Badminton League, Ultimate Kho Kho, and Pro Kabaddi League. The leagues demonstrate how valuable and important this profession has become in the nation as well as how seriously sport is now taken.
Even the younger generation is glued to the TV when they watch sports since the leagues reach every home in the nation. For instance, many people now pursue the indigenous sport of Kabaddi, especially the younger generations.
Sports used to be considered a leisure topic, which gave another subject instructor the possibility to use the time for an extra math class. However, things have changed for the better with the Indian athletes’ success in Tokyo 2020. The value of sport, the time and effort it requires, and the fact that it can lead to a professional career for children have all been appreciated by teachers, parents, and students. One of the high points in the history of sports education in the educational system is this.
Schools and our educational system are aware of this transition, and with the New Education Policy’s adoption, which highlights the importance of sports and their expanding inclusion in the curriculum, more positive change is imminent.
Expansion plans for India
In every nation, there is a complex ecosystem surrounding sports that includes players, spectators, leagues, businesses, governmental agencies, and regulatory bodies. The growth of sports in the nation is greatly influenced by all of these stakeholders.
Sports are universally acknowledged as a driving force behind economic growth and as a distinct industry that should be managed in various economies. There are numerous facilities in the country but, these facilities are mostly ignored and neglected.
The first phase is to identify and gather data on existing athletic facilities in order to assist with upgrading and refurbishing. The goal is to maximise the use of the current facilities with an emphasis on building many more world-class facilities. Then, these amenities can be advertised to guarantee that future athletes make greater use of the infrastructure for sports and training.
Most watched leagues after Cricket
There are currently 10 franchise-based sports leagues operating in India, and these leagues have lately undergone a substantial expansion. The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is the most well-known league out of all of them, second only to the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Due to the contributions of PKL, the country’s affection for our native sport has greatly increased, especially among the younger generations.
Kabaddi can be introduced to pupils at the school level to increase their awareness of the sport, their pleasure of it, and their understanding of its advantages, such as increased speed and agility, improved mental focus, the ability to multitask, and so forth. This can eventually lead to the children developing a passion and love for the sport.
Despite the spectacular success of these sports leagues, there remain concerns regarding their functioning since there is no system in place through which the management of each of these top leagues can be held accountable for their actions. Accountability and transparency need to be built into the system on how sports are governed in India.