hen ESPN STAR Sports announced the launch of the made-for-television Premier Hockey League (PHL) with much ado earlier this year, many of its viewers wondered what�s the big deal.


The two-tier league, played over a month (January 13-February 13), was modeled on the American baseball league style, featuring teams with macho names (Sher-e-Jalandhar, Maratha Warriors, Hyderabad Sultans and what not). The matches were played in a double-leg round-robin format, with five teams each, featuring star players. The Premier Division fought for the winner�s purse of Rs 30 lakh and the teams in the First Division for a booty of Rs 4 lakh.
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