The Elite Women’s Pro Basketball League and the Elite Pro Basketball League have come together for the first-of-its-kind 3x3 basketball league named the EP3.
Mr. Sunny Bhandarkar, CEO, EPBL & EWPBL
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The Elite 3x3 Premier League. The league will begin in September with a total of over 100 athletes drafted into the men's and womens category. In an unprecedented move in the professional basketball set-up in India, all the players will receive a predetermined salary that is attuned to the ideology of EWPBL and EPBL of ensuring a serious career pathway for young basketball players in India. The 3x3 basketball features three players in each team as opposed to the five in traditional basketball games, and the man behind it all is Mr. Sunny Bhandarkar, CEO of EPBL & EPBL, whose driving force has always been to make sure basketball gets its deserved spot in India’s mainstream sporting culture.
1. EPBL and EWPBL has combined to compete in the EP3L. What’s the thought behind starting another league when there already exists EPBL & EWPBL.
3x3 basketball in India has been growing in popularity and gaining traction among basketball enthusiasts and players due to the fast-paced nature of the game. There is great energy and euphoria involved making it a very attractive vertical of the basketball circuit in India to get more people involved and increase the popularity even further. Since the aim is to put basketball as one of the frontrunners in terms of viewership and fan following, we as a league take the audience into consideration and present them with the best pro talents in India. These high-octane 3x3 basketball matches also help pave the way for the athletes into the 5x5 pro league. In all honesty, this league is a win-win on all fronts since it will provide entertainment to the audience and a platform for the athletes.
2. There are a few 3x3 basketball leagues in the country already; what does EP3L add to this mix for the players?
For an athlete whose livelihood depends on the sport, additional leagues mean more opportunities to compete for the players and keep improving to increase their longevity in the sport. We want to create a system where our pro athletes are constantly competing throughout the year since the constant competition will raise the level of basketball in India. An established league system like ours means more financial rewards and incentives to the players through our league, making sure that the athletes that have adopted basketball as a sport have the means to stick with the sport. The biggest problem for any basketball player in India is currently that it does not allow for a full-time career, and this is exactly what another league will offer them. On the technical front, the plan is to focus on creating a talent pool and expanding our Pro athletes into a community of our own.
3. What’s the way forward for athletes that compete in these leagues to then compete at international tournaments?
A league like this can help players specialize in 3x3 skills, which could also lead to opportunities on the international stage, as there currently are way more 3x3 leagues than ever. What 3x3 also does is open up the sport for athletes that have a skill set that helps them compete at a higher level in the 3x3 format of the game, which probably was not working out for them in the 5x5. This could lead to the discovery of new talents that can contribute to the growth of both the leagues and the sport as a whole, and undoubtedly the level of 3x3 basketball on the international stage from Indian teams will also improve. All in all, the plan has always been to grow the community and offering a 3x3 league just provides an opportunity to open the door for everyone just a bit further.
4. Do the leagues also offer pre and post-training? How is playing in this league sustainable for a basketball player in India throughout the year?
Yes, the league will definitely offer pre & post-training as we believe that the performance on the league days is a result of all the work that the athletes have done previously, and continuous growth and training only means that they will be even better in the next edition of the league. The plan is to also integrate both the 3x3 & 5x5 leagues to create a strong basketball ecosystem that helps players sustain 365 days of the year while keeping in mind that many will be specialists in either one of the leagues. The integration and introduction of more such leagues like this will create constant financial incentives for the athletes and help them concentrate on the sport to then go on to perform their best if they aren’t worried about the financial aspect.
5. Does this format of the game help invite a more audience-friendly structure in the hope of increasing the fan following for basketball in India?
3x3 has proven to be extremely audience-friendly, and the decision to introduce this league comes at the back of this understanding of the common viewer. The fast-paced nature, one-on-one situations, and emphasis on shooting and quick decision-making are something that the fans can follow, especially even the ones without any technical knowledge. To begin with, we need more people following the ecosystem and supporting the basketball players that also deserve a chance to become national heroes like from other sports.
Our already existing 16 men’s teams & 6 women’s teams in the EPB & EWPB Leagues will help us push fan engagement to the next level. We will build on the success of EPBL and EWPBL and are excited to introduce EP3L giving the audience the best of Indian Basketball that they’ve never seen before.
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