Badshah debuts as sports investor, co-owns team with producer Punit Balan in Ultimate Kho Kho

Singer-songwriter-rapper Badshah

Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia, popularly known by his stage name Badshah, is all set to explore the sports league industry with his debut investment in the upcoming Ultimate Kho Kho (UKK) league.

The Indian rapper now co-owns the Mumbai franchise with producer Punit Balanin the soon-to-be launched league.

"This is my first investment in sports. Earlier had an opportunity in basketball as I play the sport but that didn't go through. As for kho kho, my mother used to play the sport in college and then she was at national selection camps at NSNIS (Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports) Patiala but circumstances weren't favourable for her to be part of the national team", Badshah told Moneycontrol.

He added that he may invest in more sports properties going forward. "The opportunity has to be strong enough for me to be part of it, where I can add value to it. I am passionate about sports especially homegrown sports."

Producer Punit Balan who has a 50-50 partnership in owning the Mumbai team in UKK said that kho kho is a popular sport in Maharashtra, one reason why he decided to invest in the Mumbai franchise.

While Balan is planning strategies for fan engagement, Badshah is prepared to release an anthem for his team. "I have been able to learn how to create fan following. We want to create super fans."

Ultimate Kho Kho, brainchild of Amit Burman, Chairman, Dabur Group, is scheduled for its inaugural season in the second half of this year. The league which will have six franchises in the first season has finalized all team owners.

Capri Global and KLO Sports own Rajasthan and Chennai teams respectively. Adani Sportsline has acquired the Gujarat franchise while GMR Sports owns the Telangana franchise. The Odisha government also owns a team in the new league.

The upcoming new league has on-boarded Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) as its official broadcaster that will air the league in different languages including Hindi, English, Tamil and Telugu.