The Badminton Association of Jorethang (BAJ) on Saturday announced that it would organise the second edition of Jorethang Premier Badminton League (JPBL) in South Sikkim in January next.
JPBL is the first ever franchisee-based sporting event in the state started by the BAJ last year at Jorethang in South Sikkim.
After getting an encouraging response from the first edition of JPBL, BAJ has now geared up to organize JPBL 2 in a grand and big way.
The event has been supported by the Sports Wing and Labour Front of the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha.
Addressing a press conference at Gangtok on Saturday, BAJ president Jigmey Namgyal said, “After a grand success of the first edition, BAJ has is now gearing up to organize JPBL 2 in the last week of January next.”
He said, “JPBL was the first ever franchisee-based sporting event in Sikkim started by BAJ last year.”
He informed that the auction for shuttlers will take place on December 7 at Jorethang.
He said this time the auction will be of the state ranking players maintained by Badminton Association of Sikkim (BAS).
Namgyal informed that the auction will take place for two categories of players.
The first category of stars, which has the base price of Rs 3,000 and the other category is of heroes with the base price of Rs 2,000.
Each franchise has been given the liberty to spend Rs 60,000 to buy 10 players in the auction.
Speaking on the last edition of the league, Namgyal said the last edition of JPBL had six teams with 60 shuttlers from Sikkim.
The champion, Unique Shuttlers, received the cash prize of Rs 2 lakh and the runners-up, Namchi Shuttlers, got cash prize of Rs 1.25 lakh.
Namgyal said BAJ has more than 150 active members.
SKM sports wing chief convener Rinzing Wangyal Chopel congratulated BAJ for starting such a unique concept of JPBL to bring professionalism in the sports.
SKM labour front general secretary Prem Raj Gurung said such league would help players to be more competitive and to earn through sports.
Speaking on the occasion, SKM sports wing advisor Shambu Pradhan said the league was in the interest of local players to make their career from the sports.
BAS general secretary Sukanta Das stated that league has been successful to provide exposure to hidden talents in the state and stated that BAS has been providing all technical support to the league.