HYDERABAD: Telugu film star Vijay Deverakonda has become a co-owner of the Hyderabad Black Hawks team in the RuPay Prime Volleyball League.
He will also be the brand ambassador for the Black Hawks, with appearances and promotions aimed to take the team beyond the league matches and bring it before a global audience.
Abhishek Reddy Kankanala, principal owner of the Black Hawks, said, “We are excited to have Vijay joining us, both as a co-owner and a brand ambassador. He brings a new perspective into the mix that can really push our brand to the next level, and advance our organization a massive step towards achieving our vision as THE team that represents the spirit and culture of Telugu people across the world. We are thrilled about what is to come.”
Deverakonda, reflecting on all the discussions leading up to the partnership, said, “I will do whatever it takes to take our team and our brand to all parts of India and beyond.”
On the subject of where the Black Hawks is going, the pair said, “It is our vision to take volleyball to all corners of the country, to all ages, all genders, all backgrounds, and all levels of athleticism. We want to empower our rural communities the same way as our cities, and level the playing field for all of our children. We want volleyball to be more than just a sport – we want to transform it into something that can help and benefit everyone.”
PVL is a privately owned Indian professional volleyball league with eight teams representing Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Calicut, Kochi, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Mumbai.
As per data provided by PVL, the inaugural season of the league, simultaneously broadcast in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, generated a cumulative television viewership of 41 million and streaming viewership of 43 million. In addition, the season garnered over 5 million fan engagements across various digital platforms.
The upcoming second season of the league, featuring 31 matches, is scheduled to run from February 4 through to March 5, and will be broadcasted in India exclusively by Sony Sports Network on Sony Sports Ten 1, 3, and 4, and streamed live on Sony LIV. Internationally, the matches will be streamed by Volleyball World, the commercial arm of volleyball’s global governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB).
