 "Pro Kabaddi League becomes only the second Indian sports league to achieve unique feat after hosting 12th season")
After a successful PKL12 Season that concluded last month, Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), an initiative by Mashal Sports Pvt. Ltd and Jio Star, along with Sportz Interactive, celebrated the achievement of the YouTube Golden Play Button, an award received for surpassing one million subscribers on the platform.
With this achievement, PKL became only the second Indian sports league to surpass one million YouTube subscribers, setting a new standard for audience growth through tailored, platform-specific strategies led by Sportz Interactive. It also highlights the rise of indigenous sports in the country, while redefining how sports leagues can garner sustained interest with millions of fans across the year, rather than witnessing traditional engagement peaks that only spike during the season.
To overcome this challenge, Sportz Interactive repurposed match footage into engaging, story-driven highlights and created exclusive original content on social media, including YouTube. The cohesive approach also included performance analytics to optimize content based on viewer behavior across various platforms, and maintaining consistency across thumbnails, metadata, and publishing schedules to boost organic discoverability.
Over the period of their seven-year partnership, Sportz Interactive and Mashal Sports have established a digital destination that has mirrored the energy, emotion, and tactical intensity of the sport itself, making it a core pillar of PKL’s always-on digital ecosystem. The partnership established PKL’s YouTube channel as a one-stop destination for stories, rivalries, and behind-the-scenes access that deepened audience connection.
From 326K subscribers in 2020 to over one million in 2025, PKL’s YouTube growth is a testament to the power of consistent storytelling, data-backed creativity, and community building. It also further underscores Sportz Interactive’s commitment to enabling sports organizations to strengthen fan engagement and drive commercial growth through a blend of creative storytelling, strategic data insights, and scalable solutions. SI empowers leagues such as PKL to foster deeper connections with its fans and achieve lasting digital impact.
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View AllReflecting on the achievement, Chintan Shah - Senior Vice President at Sportz Interactive (SI), said, “The Youtube Golden Play Button is more than just a numerical milestone. It exemplifies how strategic digital storytelling, supported by strong data analytics can create a vibrant fan community that generates year-round engagement across various platforms, deepening fan loyalty and fueling commercial growth for a sports league.”
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