{"id":31932,"date":"2025-08-05T06:56:31","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T06:56:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/sport-business\/?post_type=event-post&#038;p=31932"},"modified":"2025-08-05T14:01:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T14:01:53","slug":"from-mud-to-mat-transforming-kabaddi-into-indias-fastest-growing-sport","status":"publish","type":"event-post","link":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/sport-business\/leaders-events\/leaders-sport-awards\/2025-shortlist\/from-mud-to-mat-transforming-kabaddi-into-indias-fastest-growing-sport\/","title":{"rendered":"From Mud To Mat: Transforming Kabaddi Into India&#8217;s Fastest Growing Sport"},"content":{"rendered":"<!-- blocks\/hero-editorial -->\n<!-- inc\/hero-editorial -->\n<div class=\"hero es-hero__editorial hero--var-1\" role=\"banner\">\n\t<div class=\"hero__image\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/app\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/08\/1746838466.png);\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"hero__overlay grad-overlay content-bottom\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero__content\">\n                    \n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero__content__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t                            <p class=\"es-label es-label--md\">\n                                \/\/ SHORTLISTED                            <\/p>\n                        \t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/sport-business\/leaders-events\/leaders-sport-awards\/2025-shortlist\/\" class=\"theme-dark hero__back-link back-link es-label es-label--sm\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"icon icon--md icon--arrow-left\"><\/span>Storyteller<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"hero__title\">From Mud To Mat: Transforming Kabaddi Into India&#8217;s Fastest Growing Sport<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n                  <div class=\"hero__logos\">\n              <ul class=\"hero__logos__list\">\n                                        <li>\n                                                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/app\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/08\/LSA-Website-Logos-17-300x169.png\" alt=\"\" \/>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                        <li>\n                                                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/app\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/08\/LSA-Website-Logos-16-300x169.png\" alt=\"\" \/>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                <\/ul>\n          <\/div>\n        \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<!-- blocks\/section -->\n<section\n  class=\"es-section flexible-section  text-only theme-light\"\n    >\n                <div class=\"container\">\n                                    <div class=\"bg-striped-pattern__inner section-padding-top section-padding-bottom\">\n                <div class=\"es-section__inner col-parent col-parent--stack-sm\">\n                                            <div class=\"es-section__sidebar es-section__sidebar--sticky col col--12 \">\n                            \n                            \n                            \n                                                            <div class=\"es-section__text content-area\">\n                                    <p><p>The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) has cemented its status as India\u2019s second most-watched sport, following only cricket. With its high-octane 40-minute matches, the league has consistently attracted massive viewership growing from 184 million in Season 8 to a record-breaking 225 million in Season 10 (BARC ratings). Season 11 maintained the momentum with 201 million viewers, making it the most-watched non-cricket sporting league in 2024. It also achieved the highest viewer engagement for any season outside the lockdown period, underscoring the league&#8217;s growing fan loyalty and cultural relevance.<\/p>\n<p>PKL\u2019s extensive multilingual broadcast in English, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu has allowed it to connect deeply with diverse regional audiences across 12 cities. This localization strategy has transformed the league into a unifying national sports spectacle, expanding its appeal and accessibility.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond viewership, the league has also significantly impacted the lives of its athletes. With a salary pool totaling \u20b92.60 crore, Season 11 produced eight millionaire players, elevating Kabaddi athletes from local champions to household names and role models.<\/p>\n<p>The league\u2019s digital footprint continues to grow exponentially, with over 2 billion social media views. This sustained online buzz has helped position Kabaddi as a year-round conversation, extending its relevance far beyond the tournament window.<\/p>\n<p>Through a powerful combination of engaging storytelling, strategic distribution, and grassroots impact, the Pro Kabaddi League has redefined Kabaddi as not just a sport but a movement. It has successfully bridged the gap between traditional Indian sports and modern entertainment, inspiring pride and aspiration among fans nationwide.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n                                <\/div>\n                            \n                            \n                            \n                                                    <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"col visibly-hidden col--flex-align-right\">\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n\n<!-- blocks\/form-embed -->\n<section\n  class=\"hero hero--var-1 hero--secondary hero--custom-content section-form-embed\"\n  id=\"enquiry\">\n    <div\n      class=\"hero__image\"\n      style=\"\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"hero__overlay grad-overlay\">\n            <div class=\"container col-parent col-parent--stack-sm col-parent--flex--v-center\">\n                <div class=\"hero__content  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<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<!-- blocks\/section -->\n<section\n  class=\"es-section flexible-section  theme-light bg-brandmark\"\n    >\n                <div class=\"container\">\n                                    <div class=\"bg-striped-pattern__inner section-padding-top section-padding-bottom\">\n                <div class=\"es-section__inner col-parent col-parent--stack-sm\">\n                                        <div class=\"col col--12 col--flex-align-right\">\n                                                        <div class=\"es-section__centered-content align-center\">\n                                                                            <p class=\"es-section__label es-label es-label--md\">29 September &#8211; 2 October 2025<\/p>\n                                    \n                                                                            <h2 class=\"h2 es-section__title\">Reach the Summit at Leaders Week<\/h2>\n                                    \n                                                                            <div class=\"es-section__text content-area\">\n                                            <p>The Leaders Sports Awards will kick Leaders Week off in style, but what else is happening across the week? <br><br> From tech launchpads to masterclasses, networking breakfasts to our brand new partner village, join over 3,000 executives from across the global sport business ecosystem at Leaders Week London.<\/p>\n                                        <\/div>\n                                    \n                                                                            <div class=\"es-section__cta\">\n                                            <a\n                                              href=\"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/sport-business\/leaders-events\/leaders-week-london\/\"\n                                                                                            class=\"button\"\n                                            >\n                                                <span>EXPLORE LEADERS WEEK<\/span>\n                                            <\/a>\n                                        <\/div>\n                                    \n                                    <div class=\"margin-top-6\">\n                                        \n                                        \n                                                                            <\/div>\n                                <\/div>\n                                                <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":31604,"menu_order":40,"template":"","categories":[],"event_page_types":[],"class_list":["post-31932","event-post","type-event-post","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - 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