Hockey India eyes ₹10-15 crore per year from sponsorships

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Hero MotoCorp Ltd and Coal India Ltd are emerging as contenders to be the title sponsor of the revived Hockey India League (HIL), with Hockey India setting its eyes on a sponsorship payout of at least ₹30-75 crore or ₹10-15 crore per year. The league in its 2.0 avatar is looking to ink deals for three-five years from various sponsorship deals, multiple sources familiar with the discussions told Mint.

“While the talks are still in early stages, these two companies are in the fray right now. The finalities are yet to be finalized, but the company is expecting ₹5-7 crore from the title sponsorship," one of the persons cited above said. While emails sent to HIL and Hero MotoCorp remained unanswered till the time of going to press, representatives of Coal India denied the development.

Also read | Can the new Hockey India League replicate IPL’s success? Mint earlier reported that the HIL would be returning this December after a seven-year hiatus, but with a more streamlined structure aimed at building a sustainable league. This edition will feature eight men’s and six women’s teams, marking the first time the league will have separate competitions for men and women. The season will kick off on 28 December and is set to conclude in February, with matches limited to two venues—Rourkela and Ranchi—to help control operational costs.

In 2013, too, the HIL signed a multi-year title sponsorship deal with two-wheeler manufacturer Hero MotoCorp. Under this partnership, the league was officially branded as the “Hero Hockey India League." Mint has also learnt that there is also a second public sector unit that the league is in discussions with for the same sponsorship. Also read | Hockey India League