India to Launch First-Ever Shooting League: Shooting League of India (SLI)

India is preparing to introduce its first franchise league in sport shooting, called the Shooting League of India (SLI). This initiative was announced by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) and proposed by its President, Kalikesh Narayana Singh Deo. The league has received approval from the NRAI’s Governing Body, the top decision-making authority.

The inaugural edition of the league is expected to take place in March 2025, pending approvals from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF). Singh Deo expressed that the popularity of shooting has increased, especially after the recent Paris Olympics, making it an ideal time to launch the league. He emphasized that franchise leagues can popularize sports and bring new audiences and revenue streams, benefiting both the sport and its athletes.

Singh Deo acknowledged that traditional Olympic shooting is not very TV-friendly, but the NRAI has worked on a formula to make it more appealing. K. Sultan Singh, Secretary-General of the NRAI, shared that the SLI will include all 15 Olympic events and plans to innovate formats to enhance excitement for TV and live streaming. The league aims to attract new audiences and sponsors with unique team compositions and ownership structures.

India’s recent success in shooting at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, where the country won three bronze medals, highlights the sport’s growing prominence. This achievement marked the first time India secured three medals in a single sport at the Olympics. Shooting has become India’s most successful individual Olympic sport, with a total of one gold, two silver, and four bronze medals over the past two decades. Notably, Abhinav Bindra won India’s first individual Olympic gold in shooting at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and Manu Bhaker made history in Paris by winning more than one medal in a single edition of the Games.