Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has signed an exclusive multi-year TV and Digital broadcast deal with India's first professional Kho Kho league -- Ultimate Kho Kho and strengthened their commitment towards bringing fast-paced "edge of the seat action" to their audience in the Indian subcontinent. Scheduled to kick-start in 2021 with a goal to captivate audiences and sports enthusiasts, Sony Pictures Networks India and Ultimate Kho Kho will bring forth this homegrown sport in its new avatar under the lenses of sports technology and innovations, that will guarantee high-octane games exclusively across SPNI's network sports channels and their dedicated OTT platform SonyLIV which will allow viewers to watch the Ultimate Kho Kho "on the go".
The traditional Indian sport of Kho Kho enjoys massive popularity across India owing to its easy-to-play rule and high-speed format.
The teams will consist of men and under-18s from all states across India registered under the Kho Kho Federation of India. Player drafts are scheduled for mid-year this year and franchise-owners will be offered a bank of over 150 Indian players based on their performances and score in the National and recently concluded high-performance training camp in February 2021.
Tenzing Niyogi, CEO - Ultimate Kho Kho said: "For a sport to be packaged as a brand, it needs to have an edge of the seat format, where every minute is a spectacle. Ultimate Kho Kho has been envisioned as an intersection where the passion for a popular homegrown sport meets new age technologies and state of the art formats. We aim to create new champions, celebrate the pride for the sport and take Kho Kho to newer commercial heights."
Ultimate Kho Kho will be telecast in English as well as Hindi with regional language commentary on the cards.