Sspark Sports wins mandate to manage inaugural Chhattisgarh Hockey League

Sspark Sports & Entertainment has been appointed by the Department of Sports and Youth Welfare, Government of Chhattisgarh, to organise and manage the inaugural Chhattisgarh Hockey League (CHL). 

The franchise-based league is set to run from October 21 to November 1 at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium in Raipur. The six-team property will feature franchises representing different regions of Chhattisgarh and aims to provide players from the state with greater exposure to high-level competition alongside established Indian hockey players.

The CHL launched in Raipur on August 25, with Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister and Sports & Youth Welfare Minister Arun Sao unveiling its logo, mascot, and tagline. The league has been sanctioned by Hockey India and is being positioned as India’s first franchise-based state hockey league.

As the league management partner, Sspark will oversee the property’s end-to-end operational and commercial development. Its mandate includes franchise acquisition and management, sponsorship and commercial partnerships, marketing and brand development, media and public relations, digital and social media, player and team management, venue and match-day operations, production, fan engagement and league administration.

Sspark will work with the state government, Hockey India, Hockey Chhattisgarh, participating franchises, players, sponsors and other stakeholders to establish the league’s operational and commercial framework.

“The Chhattisgarh Hockey League is an exciting opportunity to build a meaningful sporting property from the ground up, with it being India’s first-ever state-run hockey league,” said Rajeev Khanna, Founder & Chairman, Sspark Sports & Entertainment.

Khanna added that the league would provide Chhattisgarh’s hockey talent with a professional competitive environment and greater exposure, while allowing Sspark to bring its experience in league management, sports operations, commercial development and fan engagement to the property.

The league will also incorporate player identification and grassroots initiatives, with the aim of creating a pathway for local players to compete alongside experienced athletes and gain exposure to higher levels of the sport.

On the field, the six teams will compete in a league format, with the top four advancing to the semifinals. A women’s exhibition match is also proposed for the opening-day programme.

The appointment gives Sspark responsibility for building both the sporting and commercial framework of a new state-level hockey property, with the inaugural edition set to provide the first test of the league’s franchise and event model.