MUMBAI: The third season of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi, which was flagged off on 30 January, recorded a surge in viewership with the opening week ratings 36 per cent higher than the week one viewership for its last season.

This growth in viewership makes Star Sports Pro Kabaddi the only domestic Indian sports league to witness continued rise in viewership through its first three successive seasons.

While viewership at All India Urban level increased by 36 per cent from 54.5 TVMs in season 2 to 74 TVMs in season 3, Rural India also joined the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi fan bandwagon, delivering a staggering 135 TVMs according to the BARC CS4+ Rural for its first week in season 3.

Affluent young audiences continued to embrace Star Sports Pro Kabaddi, reflecting in a 33 per cent growth in total minutes viewed on hotstar, the digital platform of Star India, over the first 11 days of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi season 3. Opening day engagement for season 3 was twice that of season 2.

Star Sports Pro Kabaddi has also gained momentum on social media, with Twitter announcing that the event hashtag #LePanga saw a 254 per cent growth vs. last season.

Star India CEO Uday Shankar said, “No other sport has grown so fast and gained such wide and deep following with fans across urban and rural India, across audience segments – men, women and kids and across screens (television and digital). The sport has truly become a unifier in its appeal, second only to cricket. This brings us a great sense of pride and is a reflection of our commitment to promote a multi-sports culture in India.”

International Kabaddi Federation president Janardan Singh Gehlot added, “The triumph of Pro Kabaddi League in its successive seasons is proof of the tremendous partnership between Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, the broadcaster Star, and the league organiser Mashal Sports. Kabaddi is set to become India’s iconic sport under our partnership. I would also like to congratulate all the eight PKL teams in this achievement.”