Sports news platform 1XBat has joined as the title sponsor, while Mylab Discovery Solutions, a Pune-based biotech company, has become the powered-by sponsor. The associate sponsors include Generic Engineering Construction and Projects, Pharm Deal, and Jet Fleet Aviation.
Punit Balan Group CMD Punit Balan said the significant sponsorship that Mumbai Khiladis have secured is a testament to the meteoric rise as well as the interest that non-cricketing sports in this country are generating.
“Ultimate Kho Kho has been able to propel this homegrown sport to becoming a mainstream sports league and among the top three in India by engaging with a target audience cutting across the hinterland as well as urban India. We are confident this is just the beginning, and Mumbai Khiladis will be a flag bearer in promoting the sport and being a catalyst in its continued growth, not just in India but globally,” he added.
The Punit Balan Group has investments in nine sports leagues both within and outside of India. It also assists over 60 aspiring athletes in India.
According to GroupM’s ‘India Sports Sponsorship Report 2023,’ sports sponsorship in India reached Rs 5907 crore in 2022, representing a 105% increase. Emerging sports generated a total revenue of Rs 1503 crore, representing an increase of Rs 829 crore year on year.Promoted by Amit Burman in collaboration with the Kho Kho Federation of India, Ultimate Kho Kho Season 2 is taking place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha, with live coverage on Sony Sports Network’s channels and live streaming on Sony LIV daily from 7 p.m. onwards.The league had recently secured Series A funding from UK-based private investment firm BNP Group. It has become the first sports league in India to secure a private equity investment.
The Ultimate Kho Kho League is a joint venture (JV) between the Amit Burman-promoted Kho Kho Sports League (KKSL) and the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI).
KKSL, which is owned by Gyan Enterprises, aims to invest Rs 200 crore in the first five years of the league. Gyan Enterprises also owns 11.44% of Dabur India.
Apart from the Punit Balan Group, the franchise owners in the league include Odisha Sports Development and Promotion Company, GMR Sports, Adani Sportsline, Capri Global, and KLO Sports.
