Kochi: Taking a cue from the highly
successful Indian Premier League model, a Volleyball League is
being launched in Southern Indian state of Kerala from
February next year.
Like IPL, the Kerala Volleyball League (KVL) will be a
competition between franchisees that will be auctioned soon.
South film star Mammootty will be the brand Ambassador
and promoter of the KVL, which is being launched by
SportzConsult, a sports management company in collaboration
with the Kerala State Volleyball Association.
The first tournament will be held in Kozhikode from
February 20 to 28, the oraganisers announced.
Mammootty said, "Sports and entertainment always go hand
in hand and KVL will definitely become the next blockbuster of
Kerala."
Jitendra Joshi, CEO, SportzConsult, said this initiative,
would take volleyball to next level in this country.
"KVL as a powerful platform will not only revitalise and
popularise the sport but will also function as a catalyst in
attracting and nurturing young talent which will go a long way
in shaping future of Indian Volleyball," he said.
KVL will be the premier volleyball league in the country
and will have six team franchisees that will be auctioned to
the highest bidder, Prof Nalakath Basheer, Secretary, Kerala
State Volleyball Association, said.
The league will be held in a round-robin format over a
period of nine days and the matches will be telecast live in
India and Middle East.
Each team will have a combination of players from Kerala,
outside Kerala and the Junior team, Basheer said.
Charly Jacob, President, Kerala State Volleyball
Association, said it was time that volleyball received the
attention it deserved.
"KVL would bring back the lost glory to the game not only
in the state of Kerala but all of India. KVL will create an
ecosystem that will benefit the players, coaches and fans of
the game and it will help in the development of sports in
Kerala," he said.
Kerala was chosen as the host city as it is home to Jimmy
George, India's first professional volleyball player who
popularised the sport in the state.
A large number of former international players, coaches
and volleyball association members attended the function where
the announcement was made regarding the launch of KVL.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, November 03, 2009, 18:31