New Delhi: The Premier Hockey League, in its third edition, will kickstart on Thursday with the added attraction of more foreign players in their ranks.
Modelled on the English Premier League of football and other European football leagues, foreign players have been drafted into separate teams in consultation with coaches of the respective sides.
Indian Hockey Federation chief KPS Gill said in Chennai that the attempt to revolutionise Indian hockey and make it reach out to masses through television has been a huge success.
The Premier Hockey League has separate tiers, again like the footballing leagues, and the first tier includes seven teams slogging it out for the title.
The teams include Chennai Veerans, Sher-E-Jalandhar, Maratha Warriors, Orissa Steelers, Bangalore Lions, Chandigarh Dynamos and Hyderabad Sultans. The teams will play each other twice in the tournament that means a total of 21 matches.
The tournament in a bid to make the event bigger, will be held across two venues for the first time spread over two legs. The first leg will be in Chennai, while the second will see the action moving to Chandigarh, where the tournament initially used to be hosted.
The twist given to the PHL is that the top two teams play each other in a best-of-three final, unlike the EPL where the league leader is the winner.
The prize money has also seen a steady incline, the winner during this edition getting Rs 40 lakh, while the runners-up get Rs 15 lakh.
The initiative taken by media giants ESPN-Star Sports to revolutionise the sport is in its third edition. ESPN MD C Venkatesh said in Chennai that yet another innovation has been introduced to pep up the penalty shoot-outs.
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