Format, game tweaks have helped draw fans on TV: Ultimate kho kho CEO

Why kho kho? “It was checking all the boxes,” says Ultimate Kho Kho CEO and league commissioner Tenzing Niyogi on what he saw as the selling point when he started putting together the league in 2018.

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“When I was trying to conceptualise kho kho, the growth story was tilted towards team sports, fast-paced indoor arena sports; (the question was) can a solution be created for an edge-of-the-seat thriller? To bring all of that together, was there a sport which was readily embedded in the mind, heart and soul of Indians…which had a historic value attached to the upbringing of Indians. Keeping all that in perspective, there was no doubt kho kho (was the sport),” says Niyogi.

As the first season approaches its finale this weekend, Niyogi says the league has been received well.

Once the concept was ready, Niyogi got key people on board. Amit Burman as a promoter has pledged to invest ₹200 crore over five years. Kho Kho Federation of India was excited in the league while Sony and RISE Worldwide put together top quality production.

As the league moved towards fruition, investors like Adani, GMR and Capri Global came on board. “As the CEO, I was clear from day one, getting the big boys as far as team owners are concerned,” says Niyogi.

“Having dabbled in multiple sports leagues, I realised that one critical factor for success was the business plan you put in front of the franchises. It has to be sustainable because we are not here to make a quick buck… You have to create a sustainable work model where the franchises see value from a commercial standpoint.”

Format tweaks were introduced to speed up the game. Traditional kho kho has nine players in action while attacking on court; in Ultimate Kho Kho, there are seven players and the ground size is small, which quickens action.

The points system has also been tweaked. Two points are awarded for normal touch out and three each for sky dive, pole dive and if a defender gives up. The defending team is also awarded two points when any or multiple players of a batch stay on the field for two minutes and 30 seconds. Two points will be added to their score every 30 seconds thereafter.

The format tweaks include a Wazir, who can change direction; during powerplay a team can employ two wazirs. The coach will decide when to use it.

The biggest takeaway has been making it eye-catching on TV. While a lot of trials were held, the look of it was kept under the wraps.

“Me and a couple of others sat inside the VCR (Video Console Room) during trials, put up a 70-inch TV to see how it will look on television. We've been very specific on that. There is hardly any content on internet (before the league was launched) on how the league looked because we kept it a secret,”says Niyogi.

“At the end of the day if you can create stickiness on the product and make the consumer avoid clicking the back button on the remote, I think even 15-20 minute retention is a fair percentage of the battle won.”

Even the players and franchises are surprised how well it has been packaged.

“It looks good on TV, I never thought kho kho will be shown in this form on TV,” says Sagar Potdar, who played a vital role in Gujarat Giants topping the six-team group.

Sujoy Ganguly, Business & Marketing head, GMR Sports, which owns Telugu Yoddhas, says: “We were pleasantly surprised. The most important part is to capture the sport in the right way because more fans will be generated through TV. It’s electrifying. I never doubted that it will not be captured well, but as we always say, what you see is what you believe.”

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