PKL News: How the Pro Kabaddi League transformed the World of Kabaddi

This continued until the league ignited a spark in the masses in India and abroad. The sport finally evolved into a tournament played on smooth mats, enveloped by bright lights and broadcasted at primetime slots. 

Kabaddi found its footing and inevitably transitioned from mud to the mat. 

History of Kabaddi

In ancient times, kabaddi was used as an activity to prepare for battle ever since; it has come a long way into establishing itself as one of the most-watched sports in India.

The sport goes back 4,000 years, when Pandava warrior Arjuna used it in the epic Mahabharata. The guidelines were quite misplaced when the sport became commercial in the early 21st century. 

So the World Kabaddi Federation (WKF) introduced new concepts such as bonus lines and productive raids. As the sport caught on, mat surfaces replaced standard mud venues. 

What Pro Kabaddi League helped India achieve

The commencement of the league in 2014 was a significant step in the growth of kabaddi in India. The league focused on Indian kabaddi players and promoting the sport across the country. 

Star Sports bought its broadcasting rights, and the opening day of PKL in its maiden season acquired a viewership of 22 million. It garnered 435 million viewers during the season, second to the number of viewers recorded for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

After extensive research, the PKL took shape and implemented new concepts like Super Tackles and Do-or-Die Raids, which were tested several times before being implemented. 

Transfer from mud to mat

In 2002, synthetic foam mats began to be used in the Malaysia Open, which liberated the players from the gritty inconveniences caused by mud surfaces. 

Adding a mat turned kabaddi from an outdoor sport to an indoor one. The use of mat courts changed the face of the sport to that of a multi-faceted professional event. 

All international events take place on the mat, and even national, state and district level competitions in India are on board with the change. As the PKL continues to expand, it also encourages using mat courts in India. 

The vision that drives PKL

Due to extensive talent search programmes conducted in India, players are now recruited from non-traditional centres. We see players showing up from all states in India to compete in the PKL.

After rigorous training, the best players from the talent pool are named in the PKL Player Auction as young talent. Besides major centres like Haryana and Tamil Nadu, players now come from Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Puducherry and other cities that were not big on the sport earlier.

Schools in India also have kabaddi in their sports curriculum. The fact that it can be played without equipment makes it suitable across villages and at local festivals. In addition, engineering and medical colleges have also been indulging in kabaddi tournaments recently.