The inaugural season of RuPay Prime Volleyball League (PVL) had concluded with an enthralling final on 27th February 2022 as Kolkata Thunderbolts lifted the trophy beating Ahmedabad Defenders in straight sets.
Along with the finalists, five other teams – Bengaluru Torpedoes, Calicut Heroes, Chennai Blitz, Hyderabad Black Hawks and Kochi Blue Spikers – were also in the fray for the opening season, a 23-day event that created ripples among the country’s most ardent volleyball fans.
The league is now set to bring back the same excitement just a few months after. While the dates for the Player Draft and League are awaited, Prime Volleyball League has already confirmed its partnership for a consecutive season with digital agency and sports specialists, Sportz Interactive (SI).
Sportz Interactive’s ‘SPIKE’ framework – Synchronize, Promote, Innovate, Kindle and Engage, established prior to the commencement of the first season, worked to a tee for the league as it generated a massive reach of 84 million in India through varied digital platforms.
The focus on gripping storylines and powerful narratives, coupled with a video-first content approach by Sportz Interactive, helped the league educate people from different corners of the country about the beautiful sport of volleyball.
Additionally, a massive regional connection was established through contemporary social media platform ShareChat, while a substantial viewership was gained for videos published via short video application Moj. Through engaging videos and eye-catching graphics, Sportz Interactive succeeded in achieving over 43 million views in India and another 5 million views from audiences across the world.
Fans from over 27 countries engaged with and viewed Prime Volleyball League’s digital content in the inaugural edition. That will augur well as Sportz Interactive has now set a benchmark and paved the way for the RuPay Prime Volleyball League to garner more success in its future seasons.
Looking ahead, Joy Bhattacharjya, CEO – Prime Volleyball League & Vice-President – Baseline Ventures, appreciated Team SI’s efforts to power fan engagement through various digital channels and was optimistic about the agency bringing the same energy to Season 2.
“Our endeavour is to raise the profile of volleyball by unearthing young talents and building a platform for them to shine. To that effect, Sportz Interactive has been a great partner in helping us achieve our objectives in this mission. It was a no-brainer to work with the SI Team once again and we can’t wait to see how the next season unfolds,” he said.
Sportz Interactive’s Raghav Mehta, Associate Director – Business, also expressed his excitement at the league’s strengthened relationship with the agency and added, “The 2022 season of the Prime Volleyball League was a refreshing foray into the sport’s new direction and showcased the best talent in the country. We are glad to be a part of the league’s journey as the digital thought partners and look forward to creating a bigger and more meaningful impact on fans out there in the seasons to follow.”
While Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV were the official broadcasters of the Prime Volleyball League in India, Sportz Interactive’s digital efforts meant that the matches could also be streamed live on Facebook outside the Indian subcontinent, bringing in global eyeballs to the fledgling league.