Bengaluru, March 29: The Grand Prix Badminton League (GPBL), which made a successful debut last year, is set to make history with its second season as it expands to the National level and becomes the first league to guarantee a minimum pay package for all the players included in the auction roster.
The GPBL auction roster for the second season to be held in August, will feature about 150 names, including 30 international players. Each player in the roster will receive a guaranteed sum of Rs 25,000, regardless of whether they are purchased by a team or not. This move is aimed at promoting and nurturing the talents of young players in the country and ensuring that they are rewarded for their hard work and dedication.
Prashanth Reddy, CEO of Bitsport, the promoting company of GPBL, said, “We are excited to take the league to the National level, and it is our commitment to provide the best platform for young and talented players to showcase their skills. By guaranteeing a minimum pay package to all the players in the auction roster, we are hoping to encourage more youngsters to take up badminton as a career.”
Prashanth, who is also the League Commissioner, GPBL, added, “We are thrilled to be the first league to introduce a guaranteed pay package for all players in the auction roster. This move will not only ensure financial security for the players but also help in raising the standard of the game in the country.”
The league will feature 10 teams – Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Pune, Northeast, Mumbai, Raipur and Kochi – vying for a cash prize of Rs 1 crore.
The first season which saw the top players from Karnataka with the teams mentored by the who-is-who of Indian badminton including PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth, Ashwini Ponappa, Sai Praneeth, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, HS Prannoy, Chirag Shetty and Jwala Gutta, is now open to all National players along with international players.
With the expansion of the league to the national level and the introduction of a guaranteed pay package for players, GPBL is set to revolutionize the badminton scene in the country and provide a platform for young and talented players to showcase their skills and achieve their dreams.
