Bluesport Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. announced today that Viacom18 has secured media rights for the Premier Handball League’s inaugural season (PHL). Viacom18 will cover JioCinema, Sports 18-1 (HD & SD), and Sports 18 Khel across multiple platforms.

The Premier Handball League’s inaugural season will begin on June 8, 2023, and will end on June 25, 2023. The International Handball Federation has identified India as the next major handball destination.

As per a press release, Viacom18 will broadcast the Premier Handball League from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. to support the efforts of Bluesport Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., Handball Association India, and the South Asian Handball Federation.

Viacom18 recently purchased global television and digital rights to broadcast the Women’s Premier League (WPL) from 2023 to 2027. For the same period, they are also the digital broadcasters of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Furthermore, during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, digital viewership surpassed TV in India for the first time for a global marquee sports event, with 32 million viewers tuning in to JioCinema on the final day of the FIFA World Cup.

Over 110 million people watched the content on digitally, making India one of the highest digital viewership markets for the FIFA World Cup, with JioCinema remaining the most downloaded free app on iOS and Android throughout the tournament.

The Premier Handball League is India’s first professional handball league. The South Asian Handball Federation is affiliated with the competition, which is supported by the Asian Handball Federation and the International Handball Federation.

Six teams will compete in a round-robin format of 30 matches in the first season, followed by three knockout matches to determine the ultimate champion. The 33 matches will be played over 18 days, with each team having a minimum of ten matches. Each squad will have 17 players, including 14 Indians and three foreigners.

Handball, widely regarded as the fastest Olympic sport, has a strong grassroots presence in India. The Handball Association India’s tireless efforts have contributed to the sport’s popularity at the grassroots level. They have ensured that the national team’s global ranking has consistently risen.