PHL will bring recognition to players: Telugu Talons owner Abhishek Reddy

As we inch closer to the start of the inaugural Premier Handball League (PHL), the teams are gearing up for the first season with much zeal and enthusiasm.

The Bridge caught up with the principal owner of Telugu Talons, Abhishek Reddy, to talk about the upcoming league and his view about the future of the sport.

Talking about how PHL will be crucial for handball, Abhishek said, "All the franchise leagues are bringing attention to the teams and players. The fans are coming to see the players. The fans are connected to players through social media and all this makes players more recognizable."

"The most important thing PHL will do is bring the attention to the players. Once the league gets going, it will make these players household names," he added further.

In recent years India has seen a huge wave of commercialization of different sports, lifting them out of obscurity and giving them a new lease of life, packaged with competitiveness and entertainment.

One of the most popular Olympic sports, Handball is as famous in India with cricket taking the eyeballs of the masses. With a hope of watching the national team at the Olympics, Abhishek said, "I am hopeful that eventually, we will play in the Olympics with a team put together from the league. I think it is everyone's dream to see India play with top countries in the Olympics."

With a plethora of experience across the leagues, Abhishek has mastered the art of reaching fans with great connections.

Talking about the importance of marketing in franchise leagues, Abhishek said, "I think marketing is one of the most important aspects of franchise league. Using experience from the leagues I have been part of, we will make sure that we put in all the effort not only on-field but also off-field."

Recently, the auction of PHL came to a successful close which saw 102 players get berths in the six franchises for the first season of the competition.

The inaugural edition of the Premier Handball League (PHL) is set to kick off on the 8th of June with six teams raring to fight for the top honors.