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Cricket (Sport)

Archery Premier League Aims to Promote Archery in India, Faces Challenges in Sustaining Long-Term Success

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Archery Premier League (APL), launched by the Archery Association of India (AAI), aims to promote archery in the country by providing Indian archers with exposure to top-level competition and international talent. The inaugural tournament, held from October 2-12, featured six teams and 48 archers, including 12 internationals. The unique format brought together recurve and compound archers in mixed teams, shooting at 70m and 50m respectively. However, sustaining the league in the long run remains a major challenge, with federations acknowledging that launching a franchise league is one thing, but maintaining it is another.

Key Takeaways:

  • The APL aims to promote archery in India and provide Indian archers with exposure to top-level competition and international talent.
  • The inaugural tournament featured six teams and 48 archers, including 12 internationals, and had a unique format that brought together recurve and compound archers in mixed teams.
  • The franchise fee for the APL was as low as Rs.1.75 crore, making it an attractive option for teams to participate.
  • Foreign archers received a top salary of $10,000, while Indians in the world top 10 received Rs.9-6 lakh per season, depending on their rankings.
  • The AAI worked closely with World Archery to ensure that the league was organized in a suitable window in the international calendar.
  • The league also had TV coverage and live streaming through World Archery, making it accessible to fans.
  • The success of the league will depend on its ability to evolve and adapt to changing circumstances, as well as its ability to attract and retain top talent.
  • The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) has been able to achieve long-term success despite challenges, and its commissioner, Anupam Goswami, identifies fan orientation, talent acquisition, financial structure, and governance as key factors.
  • PKL's growth can be gauged by the increasing team salary purse and individual player prices, with the total expenditure for PKL 12 standing at Rs.37.90 crore.

Statistics:

  • The APL franchise fee was Rs.1.75 crore.
  • Foreign archers received a top salary of $10,000.
  • Indians in the world top 10 received Rs.9-6 lakh per season, depending on their rankings.
  • The base salary for New Young Player (NYP) category D was Rs.9 lakh.
  • The highest salary drawn by an NYP was Rs.78 lakh.
  • PKL 12 had a total expenditure of Rs.37.90 crore.
  • The auction for PKL 12 saw 10 players cross the Rs.1 crore mark for the first time.
  • Iranian defender Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh was bought by Gujarat Giants for a whopping Rs.2.23 crore.

Sources:

  • "Archery Premier League: India's top archers set for a thrilling competition" by HT Digital Content Services, Hindustan Times.
  • "PKL Commissioner Anupam Goswami on the success mantra of Pro Kabaddi League" by HT Digital Content Services, Hindustan Times.

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