MUMBAI: Even as all the sporting leagues in the country are on hold due to the Covid19 pandemic, Kolkata-based startup Mosedu Knowledge Foundation, is gearing up to launch franchise-model based professional quiz league - ProQuizzin League.
To begin with, the mind-sport league will have six teams from Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Ahmedabad.
“Like other league-based sports, we will have team owners. We were looking at 10, but since Covid19, we have decided to start with six and gradually increase to 16 teams by the end of 5 years,” said Aanton Mookherjee, co-founder, Mosedu Knowledge Foundation.
While the company was started in 2019 by educationists Protichi Lahiri Sengupta, Anindita Dutta and Mookherjee, the founders have been running one of World’s biggest quizzing festivals called the Kolkata Quiz Festival for the last 10 years. This week-long festival attracts participation from across the country and from countries outside, from educational institutes, corporates and celebrities.
Mookherjee added that while traditionally, quizzing has been hugely popular with Indian audiences, it’s still not considered a sport, through which one can build a career.
“In India, quizzing has always been focussed on host and not the player, be it ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, ‘Cadbury Bournvita Quiz Contest’ or other such shows. But we don’t go to watch a cricket match to look at an umpire. We aim to get players at the centre and help quizzers build a career through quiz,” he said.
The founders are in talks with high networth individuals to buy teams and with broadcasters and video streaming services for media rights. “We plan to close some deals in the coming weeks and are targeting to launch the league by end of this year. Currently the entire TV industry has no fresh content, and we think this league has a good potential.
Sengupta said that all team owners will have the same kitty to buy players from. “The cost of organising this league is also much lower compared to other sporting leagues. Purely from a safety and health point of view, we will get all the teams to one city and shoot indoors. It will be a much-controlled environment and will be therefore safe. And audiences will get to enjoy a new sporting league sitting at home,” she said.
ProQuizzin League will also extend itself through various merchandising opportunities and online gaming.
To begin with, the mind-sport league will have six teams from Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Ahmedabad.
“Like other league-based sports, we will have team owners. We were looking at 10, but since Covid19, we have decided to start with six and gradually increase to 16 teams by the end of 5 years,” said Aanton Mookherjee, co-founder, Mosedu Knowledge Foundation.
While the company was started in 2019 by educationists Protichi Lahiri Sengupta, Anindita Dutta and Mookherjee, the founders have been running one of World’s biggest quizzing festivals called the Kolkata Quiz Festival for the last 10 years. This week-long festival attracts participation from across the country and from countries outside, from educational institutes, corporates and celebrities.
Mookherjee added that while traditionally, quizzing has been hugely popular with Indian audiences, it’s still not considered a sport, through which one can build a career.
“In India, quizzing has always been focussed on host and not the player, be it ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, ‘Cadbury Bournvita Quiz Contest’ or other such shows. But we don’t go to watch a cricket match to look at an umpire. We aim to get players at the centre and help quizzers build a career through quiz,” he said.
The founders are in talks with high networth individuals to buy teams and with broadcasters and video streaming services for media rights. “We plan to close some deals in the coming weeks and are targeting to launch the league by end of this year. Currently the entire TV industry has no fresh content, and we think this league has a good potential.
Sengupta said that all team owners will have the same kitty to buy players from. “The cost of organising this league is also much lower compared to other sporting leagues. Purely from a safety and health point of view, we will get all the teams to one city and shoot indoors. It will be a much-controlled environment and will be therefore safe. And audiences will get to enjoy a new sporting league sitting at home,” she said.
ProQuizzin League will also extend itself through various merchandising opportunities and online gaming.
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