The fifth season of Pro Kabaddi, an annual kabaddi tournament, has grown 68 per cent over the fourth season.
According to data provided by the Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC), the total impressions garnered by the first 23 matches in season 5 is 328 million, significantly higher than last year’s 195 million impressions for the same number of matches. Impressions refers to the number of people watching the property at any point in time during telecast.
The highest rated match so far this season was the one between the Telugu Titans and the Patna Pirates, played on July 29. The match recorded 17.6 impressions across the channels it was aired on. The inaugural match of the season was the second most viewed, at 16.8 million impressions.
This year, STAR India, the official broadcaster of the league, changed the portfolio of channels that telecast the tournament.
While the regional channels (Malayalam and Kannada) continue to telecast as earlier, instead of airing the league on Star Gold, the network’s flagship Hindi movie channel, the network shifted it to its newly launched free-to-air channel Star Sports First.
 "Bengaluru Bulls players with Bengal Warriors in action during their Pro Kabaddi League match in Nagpur. Photo: PTI")