The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) announced the first-ever franchise league named Shooting League of India (SLI) on Wednesday.
The proposal was mooted by the NRAI President Kalikesh Narayana Singh Deo and has received approval from the Governing Body, the highest decision-making body of the national federation.
A window for the same is being chalked out, post receiving approvals from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), the sport’s sole global authority, in March of 2025, when the first edition will likely be held.
Speaking on the development, Deo said, “Shooting, particularly after the performance in the recent Paris Olympics has received a huge fillip in its popularity and we thought that this was the right moment to launch a league. We have seen how well-organised franchise leagues have not only helped in popularising the sport even further but most importantly have brought in new audiences and revenue for them and their athletes. We owe it to our athletes to make the sport self-sustainable.”
On the question of shooting being television-friendly, Deo said,” Shooting in its purest Olympic form and format is not considered television friendly however we have all deliberated upon it extensively and feel that we may have arrived at a winning formula. Let’s keep our fingers crossed as all is in the interest of the sport and its super athletes, who have brought glory to the country on global platforms consistently over the last few decades.”
The NRAI wants to have all 15 Olympic events as part of the SLI and there can be innovative tweaks to bring in more audiences and sponsors to the sport.
India won three bronze medals, exactly half of its total tally, from Shooting, in the recently concluded Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. It was the first time India had won three medals in any sport at the Olympics and it also made Shooting the most successful individual Olympic sport in the country with a tally of one gold, two silver, and four bronze medals won over a period of the last two decades.