~The lads’s match witnessed 32.9 million viewers whereas ladies’s secured 15.1 million viewers in India~
~Outstanding development throughout its social media platforms, boasting over 1 billion video views throughout Fb, Instagram, and Twitter
New Delhi, April 4, 2025: The much-anticipated return of the Hero Hockey India League (HIL) has marked a transformative second for Indian hockey, reigniting the nation’s ardour for the game whereas breaking new floor in inclusivity and viewership. This version was notably particular because it not solely revived the boys’s league after a seven-year hiatus but additionally marked the launch of the inaugural ladies’s league—an unprecedented milestone for Indian sports activities on the whole, and hockey particularly. Including to the historic significance, the league coincides with the centenary celebrations of Indian hockey and follows back-to-back Olympic medal triumphs, reinforcing the nation’s rising dominance on the worldwide stage.
Hero HIL 2024–25 has exceeded expectations, drawing a rare cumulative attain of over 40.8 million viewers, which is over a 48% improve over HIL 2017’s viewership of 27.5 million viewers. The lads’s closing alone garnered 3.07 million viewers, whereas the most-watched ladies’s match attracted 2.92 million viewers. The worldwide attain of the league has additionally skilled exponential development in its viewers, with over 5 million in 18 hockey taking part in nations aside from India by each tv and OTT viewership.
Notably, the league shattered conventional viewership norms by attaining unprecedented gender parity. In a sports activities ecosystem the place the viewership hole between males’s and ladies’s occasions usually spans as a lot as six instances, Hero HIL has set a brand new benchmark. In truth, at instances, the ladies’s matches have drawn almost equal consideration to their males’s counterparts. Throughout 44 males’s matches, the match reached an spectacular 32.9 million viewers (23.5 million on tv and 9.4 million by way of OTT platforms), whereas 13 ladies’s matches secured 15.1 million viewers (10.5 million on TV and 4.59 million by OTT).
Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Tirkey remarked, “The success of Hero HIL 2024–25 is a testomony to India’s deep-rooted love for hockey. The overwhelming response from followers, manufacturers, and broadcasters displays the league’s immense potential. As we transfer ahead, our dedication stays steadfast in elevating Indian hockey to new heights, making certain that the game will get the popularity and assist it really deserves.”
Past tv and streaming, Hero HIL’s resurgence is making waves within the digital panorama. Hockey India has witnessed outstanding development throughout its social media platforms, boasting over 1 billion whole views throughout Fb, Instagram, and Twitter on greater than 3,000 posts. This engaged fan base is actively contributing to a vibrant and dynamic hockey group.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Hockey India Secretary Basic Shri Bhola Nath Singh acknowledged, “The revival of Hero HIL has been a monumental success, not solely when it comes to numbers but additionally within the enthusiasm it has reignited amongst followers and gamers alike. This season has confirmed that hockey continues to carry a particular place in India’s sporting tradition. The addition of the ladies’s league is an important step in direction of higher inclusivity and empowerment in sports activities.”
Hero Hockey India League’s resurgence can be a testomony to the game’s rising attraction for the reason that Tokyo Olympics, the place hockey accounted for 15.2% of the general 69 million viewers within the first week.
The league’s extraordinary viewership numbers and digital engagement sign a brilliant future, reaffirming that hockey continues to thrive within the hearts of tens of millions.
