Sponsorship revenue for the Pro Kabaddi League "has risen 320% and the number of advertisers has jumped three-fold in its fifth year," a Star Sports exec said, according to Arushi Kotecha of LIVE MINT. Star Sports India Head of Ad Sales & Exec VP Anil Jayraj said that the "consideration of purchases for sponsorships increased from 59% to 71% after season four." He added that the jump in sponsorship revenue and the number of advertisers "occurred because of increase in viewership." Jayraj: "Nearly 50% of our current advertisers have advertised with us at least in one of the previous seasons and 90% have seen their competitors benefiting and thus, decided to advertise." Even team sponsors "are upbeat about the future and are investing in training." To "be sure, the advertising economics is positive" for the PKL. Media investment management company Group M said in its third-party report on the sports business in India that "on-ground sponsorship in kabaddi grew by 13% year-on-year and that cricket's contribution in the overall pie has fallen." Group M Business Head Vinit Karnik said, "Nearly about 61% of 2016's on-ground sponsorship was contributed by three deals, one of which is Vivo's title sponsor deal with Pro Kabaddi" (LIVE MINT, 6/29).
