PGTI and Game of Life Sports unveil franchise-based competition backed by veteran administrators and industry investors
Indian professional golf is getting its first national league, and the architects behind it believe a franchise model can do for the sport what similar formats have accomplished in cricket and other Indian athletics.
The Professional Golf Tour of India announced Tuesday the launch of '72 The League,' a city-based franchise competition created in partnership with Game of Life Sports. The league represents a significant structural shift for a sport that has traditionally operated through individual tournaments rather than team-based competition.
The leadership roster
PGTI has assembled a team of experienced sports administrators to oversee the venture. Veteran administrator Amrit Mathur will serve as league commissioner, while PGTI board member Amitabh Kant and Joy Bhattacharjya—senior advisor for strategy and expansion at Game of Life Sports—will contribute to the initiative's direction.
The backing extends beyond administrative expertise. The league has attracted industry veterans, sports enthusiasts and investors, though specific ownership details remain undisclosed. Leading golfing figures will mentor teams once rosters are finalized.
The competitive framework
The inaugural season will feature city-based franchises, each fielding 10 professional players selected through an auction scheduled for January 2026. Top golfers from the PGTI circuit are expected to participate, creating what organizers describe as one of the largest competitive platforms in Indian professional golf.
Competition runs from February 21 through March 6, 2026, across three Delhi NCR venues: Classic Golf and Country Club, Jaypee Greens and Qutab Golf Course.
The transformation thesis
For Kapil Dev, the cricket legend who serves as PGTI president, the league marks a pivotal moment. "For the first time, we have a structured, team-based national league sanctioned by PGTI that creates new opportunities for players," he said.
Mathur echoed that optimism, noting that franchise models have "transformed many Indian sports" and could help golf discover new stars while building communities around teams.
Betting on format and timing
The league will employ a match-play format rather than traditional stroke play—a deliberate choice designed for faster viewing and stronger appeal to television and digital audiences. Organizers are planning Pro-Am events, fan zones, live entertainment, behind-the-scenes content and premium broadcast production.
Amit Kharabanda, co-founder of Game of Life Sports, framed the venture as an attempt to "deliver an incomparable league that propels golf forward in India in an innovative new format."
His co-founder, Samant Sikka, suggested the timing aligns with golf's growth trajectory in India. The league aims "to bring the sport to new audiences and build it into a leading sporting property," he said.
Whether '72 The League' can replicate the success of franchise models in other Indian sports remains an open question. What's certain is that when the auction gavel falls in January, Indian professional golf will have entered uncharted territory.