MUMBAI: Move over cricket, there’s a new league in town and it’s tackling eyeballs and brands with equal force. The inaugural season of the GMR Rugby Premier League (GMR RPL) kicked off in Mumbai at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex, with six franchise teams colliding in high-octane matches. But the real scrum might just be off the field, where a ruck of top-tier sponsors have piled in to back the tournament.

With GMR leading from the front as title sponsor and HSBC powering the league as a principal partner, the GMR RPL has already racked up a formidable roster of 17 sponsors and partners. Big names like Capgemini, Bisleri, Hero Fincorp, JSW Cement, Amul, Dream11, and Nanavati Max are among the brands jumping into the fray.

In fact, Capgemini is suiting up as the Transformation Partner, Bisleri is keeping the players hydrated, and Dream11 is fuelling fantasy picks as the Fantasy Sports Partner. Other players in the pack include Encalm, Megawide, Waisl, Pushpak, Wintex, and The Capital Group, not to mention Radio Mirchi bringing the buzz as the Radio Partner.

Broadcast muscle is also strong, Star Sports Select 1 is the Official Broadcaster, Jiocinema (under JioHotstar) is streaming it live, and Rugby Pass TV is beaming the action to global fans.

“This isn’t just a game-changer, it’s a groundbreaker,” said GMR Sports CEO Satyam Trivedi. “To onboard over 17 big-ticket brands for a brand-new sport in India is a strong signal that the market is ready to embrace new sporting formats.”

Rugby India president Rahul Bose and longtime champion of the sport, was equally moved. “The GMR RPL is our dream come alive. To witness such overwhelming support from grassroots to boardrooms is exhilarating. We truly believe this is the beginning of a bold new chapter for Indian rugby.”

With big tackles on the pitch and even bigger backing off it, the GMR Rugby Premier League looks all set to convert casual onlookers into die-hard fans one try at a time.