Hero Hockey India League increases Salary Cap of each Franchise by $75,000

-Mini Players Auction/Closed Bid to be held in Delhi onNovember 18, 2013

-154 players will be available for the Mini Auction/Closed Bid

NEW DELHI, 20 October 2013: Hockey India League has decided to raise the franchisees’ salary cap for the second season of the Hero HIL, scheduled fromJanuary 23 to February 23, 2014, by $75,000 (Rupees 46 Lakh).

Hockey India Secretary General and Hero Hockey India League Chairman Dr. Narinder Batra said the Executive Board had decided to the request of the franchisees to raise the salary cap. “After the enormous success of inaugural Hero HIL, our franchise partners requested for an increase in the salary cap in the coming season,” he said.

“Each franchise now has an additional Rupees 46 lakh available to buy new players to complete its squad in place of permanent withdrawals for the coming season,” he said. “The Mini Players Auction/Closed Bid is scheduled for November 18, with 154 players signing up for the auction.”

The salary cap for each Franchisee in the inaugural season was $650,000(Rupees 3.96 crore) which is now increased to $725,000 (Rupees 4.42 crore).

In the inaugural season, 70 top domestic players including the Indian national side as well as 50 international players who are part of the national squads of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Netherlands, Germany, Malaysia, Spain, and Argentina played for the five teams.

Of the 120 players who played in the inaugural Hero Hockey India League, 60 were Olympians. The list includes winners of the prestigious FIH Player of the Year Award including. Jamie Dwyer (2004, 2009, 2010, 2011), Teun de Nooijer (2003, 2005, 2006) and Moritz Fuerste (2012). Seven of the top 10 FIH rated players played in the Hero HIL 2013.

More than 41 million fans in India watched the inaugural tournament, its reach was ahead of the UEFA Euro 2012. The inaugural season, won by the Ranchi Rhinos, was telecast in 146 countries. The largest marketing campaign for a hockey tournament saw record stadium walk-ins and more than half a million fans liked the official Facebook page.

Star Sports, Broadcast Partner of the Hero HIL will telecast live all the matches. The second edition of the world’s most exciting and innovative hockey league will be played from January 23, 2014 with the final being scheduled for Sunday, February 23, 2014.