Hockey India League was a grand success amongst the hockey fans in India and across the world and four quarter format is only gifted by Hockey India League to the world hockey. Earlier, Hockey used to be a game of two halves of 35 minutes, making it a 70 minute affair but the game started losing fans and FIH needed to make the game look more quick and finish within one hour that did the trick.
FIH made sure that the game of hockey was cut short by 10 minutes and 15 minutes quarter was played which made the game quick and entertaining for the fans, thanks to Hockey India League. European countries had their own hockey league and especially German and Dutch leagues were globally famous but Hockey India League reached the global fandom in no time.
Fans were disheartened with the discontinuation of the league and 5 years after the last season, Hockey India League may again be on the cards. Hockey India approached Hockey governing body- FIH for a possible window to conduct HIL.
“They asked – and it’s nice of them to do so – to look at the international calendar so that when they plan their league, it is not interfering with other important events,” Thierry Weil, the chief executive of the FIH said.
He added: “That (events clashing) would not be nice for the international calendar but it would definitely not be good for the Indian league. I am sure soon we will have a dialogue together with Hockey India to see what would be the best period for the HIL.”
Hockey India League was started way back in 2013 but it was discontinued in 2017 after it put financial burdens on the franchises. The six team affair consisted of teams from- Awadhe Warriors, Delhi Waveriders, Ranchi Rays, Punjab Warriors and Kalinga Lancers.
