Hero Hockey India League has managed to create waves on television in its first season.
ESPN Star India said that according to data that it had got from research agency TAM, the first six matches of the league were watched by 1.46 crore individuals.
The broadcaster said that the reach of HHIL was more than double of what World Series Hockey delivered in the first week last year, while it has overtaken the full tournament reach of the recently concluded Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy 2012.
“This is easily the best result achieved by any hockey league ever in the country. World Series hockey at the end of week 1 had clocked viewership of 0.63 crore individuals. Full tournament reach of recently concluded 2012 Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy, where India made the semis, was 0.58 crore individuals,” the broadcaster said in a statement.
The broadcaster also said that HHIL’s reach was more than multi-nation tournament UEFA EURO 2012 in India, which had got about 0.85 crore individuals for the first six matches.
Aloke Malik, Managing Director, ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd, said, “Reach garnered by the broadcast of Hero Hockey India League in the first week vindicates the confidence we had in this tourney.”