Hockey India League

History

The first event in the league format in India was a hockey league named the Premier Hockey League organised by ESPN-Star Sports, Indian Hockey Federation and Leisure Sports Management from 2005 to 2008. It was based on the model of NBA league. It was a pioneer in Indian sports which inspired the Indian Premier League and many others that followed.

Later in 2012, the Indian Hockey Federation and Nimbus began World Series Hockey, a professional field hockey league in India. After the success of the league, Hockey India announced the formation of their own franchise-based league, launched in mid-2012, known as the Hockey India League. The league was approved by the International Hockey Federation. The league was originally planned to have six teams, which would be established after the bidding was done for the twelve proposed cities that would host an HIL team. However, due to lack of interest in a sixth city, the league commenced in 2013 with five teams. Before the beginning of the season, ESPN STAR Sports was announced as the league's official broadcasting partner on a five-year deal.

The first match was played on 14 January 2013, as Delhi Waveriders defeated the Punjab Warriors 2–1 at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium. The league had gained some buzz from the marquee signings of India internationals Sardara Singh and Sandeep Singh, as well as the signings of foreign players such as Jamie Dwyer, Moritz Fürste, and Teun de Nooijer. The inaugural season ended with Ranchi Rhinos being the first champions, defeating the Delhi Waveriders 2–1 in the final. The league was considered a success immediately in the years following the inaugural season.

Before the beginning of the second season, Kalinga Lancers were announced as the sixth team in the Hockey India League. However, after the 2014 season, the league suffered its first setback when the Mumbai Magicians disbanded. The team was swiftly replaced though with Dabang Mumbai being launched before the 2015 season. The league though suffered another setback before the 2015 season when Ranchi Rhinos, the inaugural champions, were disbanded after an ownership problem. The team though, like with Mumbai, was quickly replaced with Ranchi Rays.

Seven years later, Hockey India League was revived with its 2024–25 edition.

Format

Previously, HIL used to consist of six teams, with the regular season from January to February, each team playing 10 games. The top four teams at the end of the season move into the play-offs, where the game decides the Hockey India League winner.

Since 2024, the teams have been expanded to eight. Meanwhile, the league's addition of the women's tournament will see six teams in its inaugural edition.

If there is a tie in any match then there would be extra time. Still, if winner is not decided, there would be a shoot-out. If still the winner is not decided there would be no option left other than penalty strokes.

Teams

|India3

Defunct teams

Auction record

Editions and results

Performance by teams

By season

League positions

Sponsorship

Prize money

Men's HIL

• Winning Team: ₹3 crore
• 2nd Place: ₹2 crore
• 3rd Place: ₹1 crore
• Best Goalkeeper: ₹10 lakhs
• Top Scorer: ₹10 lakhs
• Up-and-Coming Player: ₹10 lakhs
• Player of the Tournament: ₹20 lakhs each
• Player of every Match: ₹0.5 lakh each

Women's HIL

• Winning Team: ₹1.5 crore
• 2nd Place: ₹1.5 crore
• 3rd Place: ₹50 lakhs
• Best Goalkeeper: ₹5 lakhs
• Top Scorer: ₹5 lakhs
• Up-and-Coming Player: ₹5 lakhs
• Player of the Tournament: ₹20 lakhs each
• Player of every Match: ₹0.5 lakh each

Source: The Hindu

Board

Before the league's first season, Hockey India appointed Steve Catton as competitions director. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla, leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley, and media personality Rajat Sharma are the members of the board for the Hockey India League. Along with Steve Catton, Barry Anderson was appointed as the tournament director.

Hockey India appointed Todd Faulds as its competitions director for the second edition of the Hockey India League. He previously worked as a competitions manager for the FIH 2012 Men's Champions Trophy in Melbourne and 2012 International Super Series in Perth.

Bjorn Isberg has been the Hockey India League tournament director since 2014. Isberg had served as tournament director for the 2012 London Olympics field hockey tournament, and three Champions Trophy tournaments (in 2004, 2007, and 2011).

References

References

1. (18 January 2016). "Hockey India League 2016: Let the Games begin!". Asia Hockey.
2. (17 August 2014). "ISL offers Rs 15 crore in prize money". Times of India.
3. (1 June 2012). "HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE TO BE HELD FROM JANUARY 1, 2013". DNA India.
4. (13 January 2013). "Hero Hockey India League 2013". DESI Blitz.
5. (16 April 2015). "Hockey India rings in the riches". Times of India.
6. "Premier Hockey League India - PHL India - Indian Premier Hockey League".
7. (12 March 2012). "IPL impact: 5 new sports leagues come up in 18 months, non-cricket sports have no dearth of sponsors". Economic Times.
8. (5 June 2012). "Hockey India announces plans for new league". International Hockey Federation.
9. (12 December 2012). "Hockey India League Auction: the final squads list". IBN Live.
10. (31 July 2012). "Hockey India enters into broadcast deal with ESPN-STAR". Economic Times.
11. (14 January 2013). "Punjab suffer from own goals against Delhi". IBN Live.
12. (29 November 2012). "Hockey India League names three Indians among six 'Marquee Players'". NDTV Sports.
13. "Ranchi Rhinos 2-1 Delhi Waveriders".
14. (9 September 2015). "Hockey India League: The new face of hockey". The Roar.
15. (20 November 2013). "Kalinga Lancers latest to join Hockey India league". India TV News.
16. (4 September 2014). "Mumbai Magicians pull out of HIL; two new teams may be drafted in". Indian Express.
17. (14 November 2014). "DoIT Sports Management Takes To Hockey India League 2015 With 'Dabang Mumbai'". Hockey India.
18. (25 October 2014). "MS Dhoni becomes co-owner of Ranchi hockey franchisee". Indian Express.
19. (6 December 2017). "HIL to make grand return in Nov-Dec 2019: Hockey India CEO".
20. (10 April 2023). "Hockey India planning to revive HIL in 2024". The Time of India.
21. (10 April 2023). "Hockey India announces exclusive Commercial and Marketing Agency for the re-launch of Hockey India League". Hockey India.
22. (16 February 2016). "Hockey India League: Mumbai beat Uttar Pradesh to keep semifinal hopes alive". IBN Live.
23. (16 January 2016). "Hockey India League 2016: Everything you want to know". IBN Live.
24. "HIL Player Auction: Harmanpreet Singh becomes most expensive buy in Hockey India League auction - The Economic Times".
25. "Hockey India League Auction: Check the top 5 buys in men's auction".
26. Sportstar, Team. (2024-10-15). "HIL 2024-25: Top five most expensive players from Hockey India League Women’s Auction".
27. (25 Oct 2012). "Steve Catton appointed Hockey India League director". [[IBN Live]].
28. (25 Jul 2012). "Rajeev Shukla, Arun Jaitley & Rajat Sharma join Hockey India League (HIL) Board". [[Hockey India]].
29. (2 Dec 2012). "Anderson named Hockey India League tournament director".
30. (17 July 2013). "Hero Hockey India League appoints Todd Faulds as its Director Competitions". [[Hockey India]].
31. (17 July 2013). "Hockey India League: Todd Faulds appointed as Director Competitions". [[NDTV]].
32. (24 October 2013). "Hockey India League appoints Bjorn Isberg as Tournament Director". [[CNN-IBN]].