Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has signed an exclusive multi-year TV & Digital broadcast deal with Ultimate Kho Kho and strengthened their commitment towards bringing fast paced “edge of the seat action” to their audience in the Indian subcontinent.
Star Vidarbha player Dilrajsing Sengar expressed his excitement to be watched by people on TV and said broadcasting of the Ultimate Kho Kho will take the sport to larger audience. “I have been playing kho kho since the last 14 years and I never thought that I would ever attend a camp with so many world class facilities. Now, I understand my body and game better. I am thrilled to know that kho kho league will come live on TV and people will be able to see us live. It will further increase the interest of People in the game,” the 25-year-old Sengar, who recently attended KKFI and UKK’s first-ever High-Performance scientific training camp, said.
Scheduled to kick-start in 2021 with a goal to captivate audiences and sports enthusiasts, Sony Pictures Networks India and Ultimate Kho Kho will bring forth this home-grown sport in its new avatar under the lenses of sports technology and innovations, that will guarantee high-octane games exclusively across SPNI’s network sports channels and their dedicated OTT platform SonyLIV which will allow viewers to watch the Ultimate Kho Kho ‘on the go’.
“Ultimate Kho Kho will bring back the oldest sport packaged in a modern avatar coupled with a new format and a dazzling television product that has the potential to not only revolutionise the sport but also create a unique experience for the audience—something that no one has ever witnessed before,” Amit Burman, Dabur Group Chairman and Promoter of the Ultimate Kho Kho said.
The traditional Indian sport of Kho Kho enjoys massive popularity across India owing to its easy to play rule and high-speed format. Mr. Burman who has acquired long-term commercial rights from the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) are engaged to work together to develop excellence and shape the future of competitive Kho Kho to make the sport bigger and better.
Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer, Distribution and Head – Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India, in a statement, said: “At Sony Pictures Networks, our focus has always been to promote a multi-sport culture in India and Ultimate Kho Kho is a great addition to our sports portfolio. Kho Kho is an extremely popular traditional Indian sport popular across India and we are happy to be on-board and showcase Ultimate Kho Kho to our viewers.”
The teams will consist of men and under-18 from all states across India registered under Kho Kho Federation of India. Player drafts are scheduled for mid-year this year and franchise-owners will be offered a bank of over 150 Indian players based on their performance and score in National and recently concluded high performance training camp in February 2021.
