Demonetisation fallout: Pro Wrestling League 2 postponed

Demonetisation has hit Indian sports as well with the second edition of Pro Wrestling League (PWL) being postponed from its original scheduled start of December 15.

"Post demonetisation, the PWL franchises and the stakeholders have asked for time to re-structure and re-plan their schemes. Hence, the date of the League had to be postponed," the promoters of the PWL, Pro Sportify director Vishal Gurnani told PTI.

"The revised dates will be announced on November 30th," he added.

Meanwhile, sources claimed that PWL-2 is likely to begin not before the last week of December.

"The League will be re-scheduled to the last week of December. Also the players' auction, which was supposed to be held in mid-November, will now take place 15 days prior to the commencement of the tournament," the source said.

There were also plans to field eight franchises as compared to six teams in the inaugural edition, but PWL said on Monday that there would be no addition and the number of teams competing against each other would remain six, just like last year.

However, the League will not witness the same six teams of last year as Bangalore franchise, called Bengaluru Yodhas, had pulled out.

Bengaluru Yodhas will be replaced by a franchise from Jaipur, while franchises like Delhi and Uttar Pradesh will see a change in the ownership.

"We will have six teams only, just as last year. Bangalore franchise has pulled out and a team from Jaipur will be added. The ownership of Delhi and UP have also changed," said Gurnani.

While Gurnani remained mum on why Bengaluru Yodhas would not being a part of PWL-2, a sources said that the "Bangalore franchise not having cleared its dues" is the reason behind the fall-out.

Meanwhile, the Pro Sportify director claimed that despite the dates of the tournament being pushed, top foreign and Indian wrestlers have already confirmed their participation in the League.

Image: Punjab franchise co-owner & Bollywood icon Dharmendra during the players auction for the inaugural Pro Wrestling League (PWL) last November

Photograph: Vijay Kumar Joshi/PTI