It began with the Euro Hockey League (EHL), the exciting new format that replaced the men’s European Cup competition at the start of the 2007/08 season. Then, the Bridgestone World Series Hockey in 2012, and now the Hero Hockey India League. Hockey is finally finding its ‘professional legs’ where the international elite players are now playing in hockey leagues and getting ‘real’ income as a result, while hockey spectators can appreciate the skill and excitement hockey offers as a sport. The combination criteria of talented players, exciting game formats, media support, clever marketing, valued sponsors, and appreciative spectators are all that will shape the professional future of hockey globally.
There will always be the Olympics, World Cups, Commonwealth Games etc but hockey officialdom need to continue moving hockey in a global professional sport. Never should we sit on our past status. Recently it was ‘rumoured’ (politically easier to say this) that hockey could have found itself not a chosen sport in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A ‘wake up’ call to say the least. As ‘hockey lovers’ it is important to know and follow the global directions hockey is taking. In this article Go Hockey News wishes to provide readers with insight into what’s happening in the 2014 Hero Hockey India League. It is hoped readers will follow the tournaments progress through the different media avenues available to them.
Hero Hockey India League
Following the success of the Bridgestone World Series Hockey (WSH) in 2012 which was implemented by the same promoters who are behind the highly successful Cricket IPL, Hockey India created the India Hockey League abbreviated as HIL, which became the new professional field hockey league in 2013. It became a great success and as a result the future of WSH ended.
The HIL tournament is contested among six franchisee-based teams consisting of players from India and around the world. The entire event takes place on home and away basis culminating into multi header playoffs. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has sanctioned the event and also provides a 30-day window at the beginning of a year so that many of the world elite players can participate with India’s best players. It is currently sponsored by two-wheeler manufacturer Hero Motor Corp, and is therefore officially known as Hero Hockey India League or HHIL. For the 2014 tournament Hockey India League also roped in telecommunications services company, Bharti Airtel, as the associate sponsor for the event. Also Yes Bank, a private bank in India, signed multi-year deal with HIL in November 2013.
The inaugral of HIL was played from 14 January to 10 February 2013, and was contested among five teams out of which Ranchi rhinos became champions after defeating Delhi Waveriders 2–1 in the final. The second season of Hockey India League will be played from 23 January 2014, with the final on 23 February 2014. A new team will be added to the league making it a six-team tournament. mini-auction was held on November 22 featuring nearly 95 players from India and 57 players around the world.
ABOUT THE PLAYERS
The break-up (by nationality): Argentina 12, Australia 10, Canada 2, Czech Republic 1, England 6,
Germany 1, Ireland 1, Italy 3, Korea 1, Malaysia 4, New Zealand 6, South Africa 7 and Spain 5.
The base prices for the players vary from USD 2,600 to USD 25,000 for playing hockey over the 30
day period. The highest paid player for 2014 is India Hockey star, Ramandeep Singh, who will
receive USD $81,000. New Zealand hockey legend, Ryan Archibald, is the second highest receiving
US $71,000. The salary cap for each Franchisee in the inaugural season was $650,000(Rupees 3.96
crore) which is now increased to $725,000 (Rupees 4.42 crore).
NEW AUSTRALIANS ADDED TO THE HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE 2014
# = ranked by value in the closed bids process
4. Trent Mitton – Australia – Midfielder/Forward – Base Price $20,000 – Sold for $59000 – Bought by Mumbai Magicians
6. Kiel Brown – Australia – Defender/Midfielder – Base Price $25000 – Sold for $55000 – Bought by Kalinga Lancers
12. Jason Wilson – Australia – Forward – Base Price $20000 – Sold for $41000 – Bought by Delhi Waveriders
18. Russell Ford – Australia – Forward – Base Price $20000 – Sold for $35000 – Bought by Kalinga Lancers
19. Glenn Simpson – Australia – Midfielder – Base Price $15000 – Sold for $33000 – Bought by Kalinga Lancers
22. Aran Zalewski – Australia – Defender – Base Price $10000 – Sold for $28000 – Bought by Kalinga Lancers
23. Tristan White – Australia – Defender/Midfielder – Base Price $15000 – Sold for $27000 – Bought by Delhi Waveriders
27. Tristan Clemons – Australia – Goalkeeper – Base Price $15000 – Sold for $20000 – Bought by Kalinga Lancers
29. Jake Whetton – Australia – Forward – Base Price $15000 – Sold for $19000 – Bought by Punjab Warriors
ALL AUSTRALIANS IN THE HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE 2014
Dubur Mumbai Magicians
Glenn Turner (Goulburn, NSW)
Matthew Butturini (Burringbar, NSW)
Joel Carroll (Darwin, NT)
Matthew Swann (Mackay, QLD)
Trent Mitton (Perth, WA)
Tim Deavin (Launceston, TAS)
Delhi Waveriders
Matt Gohdes (Rockhampton, QLD)
Tristan White (Wollongong, NSW)
Jason Wilson (Kingscliff, QLD)
Jaypee Punjab Warriors
Jamie Dwyer (Rockhampton, QLD)
Kieran Govers (Wollongong, NSW)
Rob Hammond (Townsville, QLD)
Simon Orchard (Maitland, NSW)
Chris Ciriello (Melbourne, VIC)
Mark Knowles (Rockhampton, QLD)
Jake Whetton (Brisbane, QLD)
Kalinga Lancers
Kiel Brown (Toowoomba, QLD)
Russel Ford (Eltham, VIC)
Tristan Clemons (Bunbury, WA)
Glenn Simpson (Eltham, VIC)
Aran Zalewski (Margaret River, WA)
Ranchi Rhinos
Fergus Kavanagh (Geraldton, WA)
Uttar Pradesh Wizards
George Bazeley (Melbourne, VIC)
Eddie Ockenden (Hobart, Tasmania)
Luke Doerner* (Altona, VIC)
NEW ZEALAND PLAYERS IN THE HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE 2014;
Simon Child
Steven Edwards
Ryan Archibald
Nick Wilson
ABOUT THE TEAMS
The franchisee-based teams are linked to some of India’s strongest businesses, hence providing credibility of the tournament in the eyes of the spectator arena. Details relating to these teams are as follows;
Adding to the world calibre of players in this tournament is also the experience of the organising readers. Hockey India appointed Todd Faulds as its director competitions for the second edition of the League. Todd worked as a competitions manager for the FIH 2012 Men’s Champions Trophy in Melbourne and 2012 International Super Series in Perth. Bjorn Isberg was appointed as tournament director. Isberg has served as tournament director for 2012 London Olympics, and three Champions Trophy tournaments in 2004, 2007, 2011.
THE MEDIA SUPPORT
What makes this tournament so special is the massive spectator support both at the event and
through media viewing. When there are potential viewers then there is also the presence of leading
media broadcasters vying for broadcast rights. In the 2013 HHIL more than 41 million fans in India
watched the inaugural tournament, its reach was ahead of the UEFA Euro 2012. The inaugural
season, won by the Ranchi Rhinos, was telecast in 146 countries. The largest marketing campaign for
a hockey tournament saw record stadium walk-ins and more than half a million fans liked the
official Facebook page.
ESPN Star Sports (ESS) entered into a multi-year agreement for broadcast of the Hockey India
League. As per the agreement with Hockey India, it gives the broadcaster rights to all international
hockey test matches featuring the Indian team played in India. ESS also has rights for global
broadcast of at least five of these matches. Financial terms of the deal were not given. The
tournament can be viewed through the following broadcasters; India – Star Sports, Australia – Fox
Sports, New Zealand – Sky Sports, Pakistan – Ten Sports, South Africa – Super sport, USA/Canada –
ONE World Sports PLUS through You Tube with live streaming.
We trust you will take the opportunity to follow this tournament as it will be an ‘eye opener’
Adapted source: various
