All sports are now garnering attention in India: Vishal Sivappa
Vishal Sivappa, who is a co-founder of India's first Cue Sports academy for schools, feels that sports, other than cricket, are now garnering a lot of attention in our country. The reason, as per him, is the introduction of leagues. For Vishal, it is exciting to see several sports blossoming in India. In an interview with NewsBytes, Vishal talked about a range of issues.
Vishal has been active in sporting circles
When asked about his inclination towards sports, Vishal said he comes from a sporting family and had the opportunity to play several sports. He said that sports bring a lot of discipline in a person's life and highlighted the importance of the same at the grassroots level. He even advocated about the need to develop such a culture in the rural parts of India.
It is an exciting time for us: Vishal
Commenting on the current situation, Vishal said that sports bring a lot of eyeballs. "Cricket is the number one sport, however, over the last few years, other sports have also started to garner a lot of attention. The reason is because of the various leagues being introduced," he said. "It is an exciting time to be a part of the same," he added.
Vishal was the co-owner of the Bahubali Boxers
Apart from the Cue Sports academy, Vishal is a co-owner of the Bahubali Boxers. The team participated in the first and only edition of the Super Boxing League, which was held in 2017.
My passion has helped me till now
When asked about the rationale behind starting these different ventures, Vishal said, "Honestly, it is because of my pure passion for sports. I grew up playing and watching multiple sports. Unfortunately, people do not have the opportunity I have enjoyed in terms of access." "Post my graduation from Switzerland, I have been investing in various sports apart from cricket," he added.
Vishal is starting a new cricket league
Vishal is coming up with a new cricket league catering to several cities in our country. When asked about the competition, Vishal said that they are working on setting up an ecosystem involving multiple cities. He added that the league will kick-off in Bengaluru and then they will be going across to other cities as well.
I want to give my users a quality experience
As far as the target segment of this new league is concerned, Vishal stated that they are catering to people between 18 years to 60 years of age. "We want to give them a quality experience on-field. We have devised certain categories, keeping in mind the schools and colleges of a city," said Vishal.
Our biggest challenge remains sustenance: Vishal
The coronavirus pandemic has crippled the world and India, with over 860,000 deaths so far. Speaking on the challenges, Vishal said that COVID-19 has impacted the sporting industry significantly. "There have been no events and our biggest challenge has been to sustain ourselves without any revenue in the current period," he said. However, he also sees a ray of hope.
'Cricket league would help people get involved during weekends'
"There is a positive side to it as well. People are much more eager than before to indulge in healthier lifestyles. With the majority of corporate professionals working from home, people are desperately looking forward to outdoor activities on weekends," Vishal said. He added that cricket being so popular in India, the new league would help people indulge in healthier activities over the weekends.
