Mashal Sports, the driving force behind the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), has unveiled revised dates for the eagerly anticipated Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 Player Auction. Originally slated for September 8-9, the auction has now been rescheduled to take place on October 9 and 10, 2023.
This strategic shift comes following a request from the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, which sought to ensure the undivided focus and preparation of the Indian kabaddi team for the upcoming Asian Games later this month.
Anupam Goswami, the League Commissioner of the Pro Kabaddi League, expressed his enthusiasm for the new auction dates. He stated, "We are delighted to announce that the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 Player Auction will now be held immediately after the Asian Games. We are certain that there will be very strong fan excitement and interest in a blockbuster Player Auction, where several star performers from the Asian Games will attract competitive bidding from the PKL teams."
The player pool for PKL Season 10 will consist of both Domestic and Overseas players, segmented into four categories (A, B, C, and D). Further classification within each category will divide players into 'All-Rounders,' 'Defenders,' and 'Raiders.' The base prices for these categories are as follows: INR 30 Lakh- Category A, INR 20 Lakh- Category B, INR 13 Lakh- Category C, and INR 9 Lakh- Category D. The total Season 10 Player Pool will comprise 500+ players, including the 24 athletes from the two finalist teams of the Khelo India University Games 2023. Each franchise will have a salary purse of INR 5 crore at their disposal.
The teams participating in the PKL Season 10 have already commenced their squad-building endeavours, adhering to the League Player Policy for this season. In August 2023, the teams exercised their prerogative to retain players from their PKL Season 9 squads. Players were categorized as Elite Retained Players (ERP), Retained Young Players (RYP), and Existing New Young Players (ENYP). A total of 84 players were retained, distributed among the three categories. Notably, star players such as Pawan Sehrawat, Vikash Kandola, and Fazel Atrachali, who were not retained, will now be featured in the PKL Season 10 Player Auction.
Under the sanction of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), Mashal Sports and Disney Star have masterminded the transformation of the Pro Kabaddi League into one of India's most prosperous sports leagues. With the highest number of matches among all Indian sports leagues, PKL has succeeded in reshaping the image of the indigenous sport of Kabaddi and its athletes, both domestically and internationally.
As the excitement builds around the rescheduled Player Auction for PKL Season 10, fans and teams alike eagerly anticipate the opportunity to secure their favourite talents and assemble competitive squads for another thrilling season of kabaddi action. The Pro Kabaddi League continues to be a beacon of success in the Indian sports landscape, captivating audiences and fostering the growth of the beloved sport of kabaddi.
