Indian Hockey League Revival: A Gear Up for Player Auctions
The Hockey India League (HIL) is all set for a significant comeback, with player auctions scheduled to take place from October 13 in New Delhi. After a hiatus of seven years, HIL's return is expected to be a major event.
The auctions will feature a vast number of players, spanning domestic and global stars of both men's and women's hockey. The men's auction will occur on the 13th and 14th, followed by the women's auction on the 15th, held at the Hyatt Regency. High-profile Indian players such as Harmanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Amit Rohidas, Salima Tete, Savita Punia, and Vandana Katariya are among the prominent names expected to fetch a high price.
The bidding process is organised into three base price categories, namely Rs 2 lakh, Rs 5 lakh, and Rs 10 lakh, depending on the players' chosen value. The total purse for the men's and women's teams stand at Rs 4 crore and Rs 2 crore, respectively.
Over 400 domestic and 150 overseas men's players, along with more than 250 domestic and 70 overseas women's players, have registered for the auctions. The men's teams represent various cities and are owned by various entities, including Chennai's Charles Group, Lucknow's Yadu Sports, and Delhi's SG Sports and Entertainment. The women's teams will represent Delhi (SG Sports), Kolkata (Shrachi Group), Odisha (Navoyam), and Haryana (JSW Sports) among others.
The auctions will also feature several notable foreign players, including Blake Govers and Jeremy Hayward from Australia, Mats Grambusch from Germany, and Thierry Brinkman and Jip Janssen from the Netherlands for the men's team. For the women's team, players such as Delfina Merino from Argentina, Charlotte Stapenhorst from Germany, and Rachael Lynch from Australia will be part of the bidding process.
