Resurrecting a National Passion
Let’s explore the setup of the HIL, identify the key actors involved, and analyze the potential for a sustainable future
Hockey, often regarded as India's national sport, has faced stiff competition from more mediatized sports in recent years. The relaunch of the Hockey India League (HIL) marks a significant effort to revitalize this national passion. Let’s explore the setup of the relaunched league, identify the key actors involved, and analyze the potential for a sustainable future.
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A New Era: The Structure of the Relaunched HIL
The 2024–25 Hockey India League represents the sixth season of the tournament, returning after a seven-year hiatus. The league will run from December 28, 2024, to February 1, 2025 . This time, it features a revamped format with eight men’s teams and four women’s teams, expanding to six women's teams in 2026. Each team will have a 24-player squad, with a minimum of 16 Indian players (including four mandatory U21 players) and a maximum of eight international stars.
The league structure:
Men's League: Eight teams will compete in a double round-robin format, with the top four qualifying for the knockout stage. All men’s games will be held at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.
Women’s League: Four teams will compete in a round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the final. All women’s games will be played at the Jaipal Singh Stadium in Ranchi
Key Dates:
October 13-15, 2024: Auction
December 28, 2024: Opening ceremony in Rourkela
January 26, 2025: Women's final in Ranchi
February 1, 2025: Men's final in Rourkela
Watch the auction of Indian legend and captain Harmapreet Singh below ↓
Power Players: Identifying the Actors in HIL 2.0
The relaunch of the HIL involves several key actors, each playing a crucial role in the league's success:
Hockey India (HI): The governing body is responsible for overseeing the league's operations, including setting up the format, conducting the player auctions, and ensuring financial stability. HI's partnership with Big Bang Media Ventures as their exclusive commercial and marketing agency is a crucial step towards generating revenue and promoting the league.
Franchise Owners: Eight franchises are participating in the men's league, each with a budget of approximately €450,000. The four franchises in the women's league have a budget of €200,000 each. The financial commitment and management expertise of these owners will be crucial for the league's long-term viability.
The franchises on October 13 at the auction Players: Both Indian and international players constitute the core of the league. The presence of major hockey stars like Harmanpreet Singh (see video above), Gonzalo Peillat, Jip Janssen, Jeremy Hayward, and Yibbi Jansen not only elevates the level of competition but also attracts viewership. The development of young Indian players through this exposure is a critical aspect of HIL's success.
Broadcasters: Securing a reliable broadcasting partner is crucial for reaching a wider audience and generating revenue. The potential involvement of Reliance-owned Jio could be a game-changer in this regard. But as of today nothing has been communicated towards a formal agreement. This will most likely be the most important part to ensure the HIL’s future! Wether its a traditional broadcaster or an online channel is less important to their willingness to promote the hell out of it…
Fans: The passionate fan base for hockey in India, particularly in cities like Ranchi and Rourkela, is a significant asset. Attracting and retaining these fans through engaging match experiences and effective marketing will be key to HIL's sustainability.
Towards a Sustainable Future: Addressing Challenges and Opportunities
Despite the excitement surrounding its return, the HIL faces several challenges on its path to sustainability:
Financial stability: The withdrawal of one franchise just before the auction highlights the need for financial stability and the ability to attract and retain corporate investment. The league needs to demonstrate its ability to generate revenue and provide a return on investment for its stakeholders.
Competition from other sports: HIL faces stiff competition from established leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL) in cricket and the Pro Kabaddi League. Creating a unique brand identity and offering an exciting product that caters to the Indian audience is crucial.
Media Attention: Despite hockey being considered India's national sport, media attention often focuses on cricket. Securing a strong broadcast deal, engaging in effective marketing campaigns, and highlighting the individual stories of players can help attract more media attention.
Fan Engagement: Maintaining consistent fan engagement beyond the initial excitement of the relaunch is crucial. Organizing fan events, offering affordable ticket prices, and leveraging social media platforms to interact with fans are essential.
However, the relaunch of the HIL also presents significant opportunities:
Capitalizing on India’s hockey resurgence: India's recent success in international hockey, winning back-to-back Olympic medals, has reignited interest in the sport. The HIL can leverage this momentum to attract fans and sponsors, positioning itself as a platform to witness the country's best talent.
Developing the next generation: The league's format, with mandatory inclusion of U21 players, provides a platform for nurturing young talent and ensuring the future of Indian hockey. This development pipeline can benefit both the national team and the league in the long run.
Boosting women’s hockey: The introduction of the women’s league is a significant step towards promoting gender equality and providing women players with opportunities to compete at a higher level. This can lead to the growth of women's hockey in India and potentially improve the national team's performance.
The Road Ahead
The relaunch of the Hockey India League is a bold move to revive a beloved national sport and secure its future. The league's success hinges on the ability of the key actors—HI, franchise owners, players, broadcasters, and fans—to work together to overcome the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities.
Key Considerations for a sustainable future:
Financial prudence: HI and the franchise owners need to adopt a financially sustainable model that balances player salaries, operational costs, and revenue generation.
Strategic marketing: Investing in effective marketing campaigns that highlight the excitement of the league, the individual stories of players, and the overall growth of Indian hockey is crucial.
Fan-centric approach: Creating a fan-centric atmosphere by offering affordable ticket prices, organizing fan events, and engaging with fans through social media can foster a loyal following.
Long-term vision: Maintaining a long-term vision that prioritizes the development of young talent, promotes women's hockey, and ensures financial stability will be key to establishing the HIL as a premier hockey league.
The revival of the HIL is a testament to the enduring passion for hockey in India. With a collaborative effort and a focus on sustainability, the league has the potential to recapture its lost glory, contributing to the continued success of Indian hockey on the international stage. And thus also support the position of hockey everywhere in the world of sports…
The importance for the rest of the hockey world
Let’s also not forget the impact the HIL could have on the rest of the hockey world. The game of hockey (as many sports) is lived very different all over the world. Despite the marketing linguo of the FIH, we need to recognise we are a small sport, whether you look at it from a business perspective or a participation point of view.
For very different reasons we do all acknowledge it is important to remain an Olympic sport. Our strengths are among other that we are being played on all 5 continents and that we promote gender equality. Our weakness when it comes to the IOC is that we are a teamsport. At the IOC they do not like teamsports because according to them teams generate not enough medal moments while weighing heavy on the need for resources (read we bring too many people to the Games). Plus in our traditional strongholds (Western Europe, the UK, Australia, Argentina) we’re focussed on particpation rather than business.
A succesful HIL could bring back an important country India into the strongholds of our sport, establish a business model to inspire others and convince stakeholders like the IOC.
And last but not least…. the return of the HIL is or could become an important part of the choice of players to really go for it. Making some extra cash during a month or two in India, allowing them to focus a bit more on the sport when back in their home country.
So let’s all wish for a succesful HIL this time around…