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Draft:Raman Raheja

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Raman Raheja
Occupations
  • Sports entrepreneur
  • media entrepreneur
  • film producer
Known for
  • Legends League Cricket
  • Sports Flashes
  • World Kabaddi League

Raman Raheja is an Indian sports and media entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of Legends League Cricket (LLC), a T20 cricket league featuring former international cricketers. Earlier in his career, he served as chief executive officer of the World Kabaddi League and the sports-media company Sports Flashes.[1][2]

Early in his career, Raheja has worked in the entertainment and events industry and later in development of sports leagues, sports media, marketing and research in India.[3] Through LLC, he was also involved in hosting cricket matches featuring former international players in Jammu and Srinagar, cities which were deprived of international cricket for several decades.[4][5]

Career

[edit]

World Kabaddi League

[edit]

Raheja served as the founding chief executive officer of the World Kabaddi League (WKL), a professional circle-style kabaddi competition launched in 2014. The league was part of the early days of Kabaddi's growth in India[1]

The competition was conceived as an international touring sports property. At the time of its launch, Raheja told Al Jazeera that its structure had been modelled on Formula One, with plans for teams to compete in cities across several countries.[1]

The inaugural season began in London before subsequently staging matches in India.

Sports research

[edit]

In 2016, Raheja was director of sports research organisation Super Insight, which produced the Indian Sports Salaries Report 2016. Media coverage described it as India's first sports salaries report.[6]

The report featured player compensation across eight professional sports leagues in India, including the Indian Premier League, Indian Super League, Pro Kabaddi League, Hockey India League, International Premier Tennis League, Premier Badminton League, Champions Tennis League and Pro Wrestling League.[6] Report received national media coverage, including reporting by The Economic Times.[7]

Athlete management

[edit]

Before founding Sports Flashes, Raheja was involved in athlete management and marketing. He handled commercial interests of Indian wrestler and two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar.[8]

In 2016, Raheja was involved in discussions concerning Kumar's possible move into professional wrestling, including talks with representatives of WWE.[9] The Tribune also reported on Kumar's meeting with WWE representatives and Raheja's involvement in the discussions.[10]

Sports Flashes

[edit]

Raheja founded Sports Flashes, a sports content and media business that subsequently developed a sports-radio app.[11]

Sports Flashes acquired audio broadcast rights for a number of sporting events. In 2018, it acquired the live audio broadcast rights in India for all 380 matches of the English Premier League, under a four-year agreement with talkSPORT.[12]

The same year, Sports Flashes obtained global audio rights for Indian cricket matches played in India, for outside India territories.[13] It also acquired audio broadcast rights for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, and distributed commentary through digital platforms, radio stations and telecommunications partners.[14]

During the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Sports Flashes was in news for dispute with original rights holder Channel 2 group regarding the production and payment arrangements for the tournament's global audio feed. *The Times of India* reported allegations of payment defaults between the companies involved and disruption of the audio feed. [15]

In 2021, ITV Network, an Indian media house, acquired the radio business of Sports Flashes in an all-stock transaction. The Economic Times identified Raheja at the time as founder and managing director of the company.[2]

Legends League Cricket

[edit]

Raheja co-founded Legends League Cricket with Vivek Khushalani. The competition was established as a platform for former international cricketers to continue playing competitive cricket after retiring from the international game.

The first edition was staged in Oman in 2022. LLC subsequently introduced a franchise-based competition in India. Former India coach Ravi Shastri joined the competition as commissioner ahead of its first edition.[16]

The League's management described its objective as providing retired international cricketers with an additional competitive platform to their playing careers. The Times of India profiled Raheja and the league in 2023 in connection with the concept.[17]

The league also adopted a strategy of staging matches in Indian cities that had received relatively little international cricket.[18]

In 2022, Legends League Cricket became the subject of an ownership dispute concerning an earlier memorandum of understanding relating to the establishment and operation of the league. The New Indian Express reported that the matter reached the Delhi High Court following a petition seeking arbitration. [19]

Jammu and Srinagar

[edit]

In November 2023, LLC hosted matches at the Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu, which had not hosted international cricket for 35 years. The Indian Express reported that Raheja said the league was seeking to stage matches in smaller cities that had been deprived of international cricket and that Jammu and Kashmir had been high on its list of prospective locations.[4]

In October 2024, LLC subsequently staged seven matches at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar, bringing former international cricketers to the Kashmir Valley nearly four decades after the region had last hosted international cricket.[5][20]

The Indian Express reported on the return of cricket to Srinagar and quoted Raheja on the league's objective of promoting cricket and inspiring younger audiences.[21]

Al Jazeera examined the wider significance of the event, reporting enthusiasm among spectators while also noting criticism from some local players and observers who questioned whether a short tournament would contribute to the long-term development of cricket in Kashmir.[20]

Film and media

[edit]

In 2026, Raheja was credited as a co-producer of the Hindi crime-comedy film Jeevan Ya Bheema Con?, directed by Abhishek Dogra and starring Arshad Warsi, Sanjeeda Shaikh and Vijay Raaz. The film had earlier been announced under the title Jeevan Bheema Yojana.[22]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 "IPL-style kabaddi league launched". Al Jazeera. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  2. 1 2 Laghate, Gaurav (22 March 2021). "ITV Network to buy out Sports Flashes' radio business in an all-stock deal". The Economic Times. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  3. ↑ Sharma, Shweta (4 June 2018). "Exclusive: Sports Flashes raises pre-Series A funding". TechCircle. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  4. 1 2 "After 35 years, Jammu witnesses return of international cricket". The Indian Express. 28 November 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Legends League brings back cricketing action to Kashmir after 38 years". Hindustan Times. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  6. 1 2 Kamboj, Vikram (11 March 2016). "India's first ever Sports Salary Report reveals startling facts". The Sports Mirror. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  7. ↑ "Foreign players pocket major chunk of money in Indian leagues". The Economic Times. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  8. ↑ "After Great Khali, Olympian Sushil Kumar may join WWE". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  9. ↑ "Sushil Kumar considers WWE in bid to extend wrestling career". The Indian Express. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  10. ↑ "Sushil on WWE SmackDown?". The Tribune. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  11. ↑ Arora, Varun; Jain, Shruti (24 March 2017). "Sports Flashes raises angel round". VCCircle. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  12. ↑ "Alexa to broadcast live commentary of English Premier League". The Economic Times. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  13. ↑ Laghate, Gaurav (4 October 2018). "Sports Flashes gets audio rights for Indian cricket". The Economic Times. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  14. ↑ Laghate, Gaurav (3 December 2018). "Multi-sport app Sports Flashes acquires ICC World Cup audio rights". The Economic Times. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  15. ↑ Rao, K. Shriniwas (13 July 2019). "ICC struck by bouncer as radio feed for World Cup falls silent". The Times of India. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  16. ↑ "Ravi Shastri joins upcoming Legends League as Commissioner". The Indian Express. 15 November 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "Exclusive: 'Dhoni should play till he's 50 and beyond that' - How Legends League Cricket aspires to extend players' careers". The Times of India. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  18. ↑ Mondal, Aratrick (2 December 2023). "Peak wedding season left us scrambling to accommodate 120 players: LLC CEO on struggles of hosting in tier-II cities". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  19. ↑ "Uncertain times: Legends League Cricket caught in 'ownership' row". The New Indian Express. 18 October 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  20. 1 2 "Legends League allows long-deprived fans to enjoy cricket again in Kashmir". Al Jazeera. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  21. ↑ "'You can't miss Chris Gayle or Irfan Pathan': Cricket comes back to Srinagar, four decades after last international match". The Indian Express. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  22. ↑ "Director Abhishek Dogra says Arshad Warsi surprised all with his double role in 'Jeevan Bheema Yojana'". India Tribune. 2026. Retrieved 25 September 2026.

Category:Indian sports executives and administrators Category:Indian media executives Category:Indian film producers Category:Living people

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