“Forum for discovering talent,” Grand Prix Badminton League set to make a sensational start

The Grand Prix Badminton League, held by the Karnataka Badminton Association, is set to start from 1st July.

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Bengaluru: Badminton players (L-R) Ashwini Ponappa, Sai Praneeth, Jwala Gutta, PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth, Satwiksairaj Ranikreddy, HS Prannoy and Chirag Shetty hold jersey of their respective teams as they pose with the trophy, during the launch of Grand Prix Badminton League, in Bengaluru, Saturday, June 4, 2022. The league will see eight teams battle for supremacy and is scheduled to be held from July 1 to 10. The eight teams are Bengaluru Lions, Mangalore Sharks, Mandya Bulls, Mysore Panthers, Malnad Falcons, Bandipur Tuskers, KGF Wolves and Kodagu Tigers, with each team comprising of 10 players including a minimum of five Karnataka players, two foreign players and three female players. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)(PTI06_04_2022_000064B)

From July 1 to 10, the Grand Prix Badminton League, Karnataka’s own Premier League, will be hosted at the Karnataka Badminton Association under the auspices of the Karnataka Badminton Association.

Grand Prix Badminton League has star-studded begining

PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth, Sai Praneeth, Jwala Gutta, Ashwini Ponappa, Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, and HS Prannoy were among the country’s leading lights who not only graced the ceremony but also became the mentors of the eight franchises who will compete for honours in the inaugural edition of the GPBL.

Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist and co-owner of Bengaluru Lions, expressed her delight at being a part of the GPBL. “We’ve all seen what these leagues have done to sports that aren’t cricket. This, I believe, is a forum for discovering talent while also bringing the game to a wider audience. I’m overjoyed to be a part of GPBL,” Sindhu stated when the Trophy was unveiled.

“After co-owning a team in the Premier Badminton League and having seen the potential the game has to offer, we thought about introducing a unique league. Also it has been two years since the last edition of PBL and hence we wanted to keep the momentum going,” revealed Prashanth Reddy, together with his boyhood friend and previous National champion Arvind Bhat, is the League Commissioner and CEO of Bitsport.

“Our main aim is to give a platform to players to play league matches at this level and earn some very important match practice. Along with that, the players will also have the chance to earn good salaries for their effort which could help the players support their career,” said Bhat, the director of the league.

“It is a matter of pride not only for the Karnataka Badminton Association but for the entire State of Karnataka itself for hosting a tournament of this stature. We are happy to work with Prashanth and Arvind and wish them all the success,” said Manoj Kumar, who is the president of KBA.

The Mangalore Sharks, Mandya Bulls, Mysore Panthers, Malnad Falcons, Bandipur Tuskers, KGF Wolves, and Kodagu Tigers are among the seven teams competing. Each team will have ten players, with a minimum of five players from the state and a minimum of three women. The overall prize pool is Rs 60 lakh, with the winner team receiving a cheque for Rs 24 lakh and the runner-up receiving Rs 12 lakh.

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