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Pro Kabaddi 2024 will begin tonight (October 18) at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium. Unlike the previous PKL season, only three cities will host the league round this year. Generally, every franchise had a home leg in PKL in the past, but in the 11th season, the league matches will take place in Hyderabad, Noida and Pune only.
All PKL teams have thousands of followers on social media, which is why many fans were left furious when the organizers switched from a 12-city caravan to a three-city host model for Pro Kabaddi 2024.
Nevertheless, fans of the other nine teams will get a chance to witness their favorite teams on the TV screen from tonight. Before the Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 gets underway, here's a list of all 12 teams ranked by their Instagram followers.
#12 Bengal Warriorz - 193,000 followers
Despite being former PKL champions, Bengal Warriorz have the lowest fan following among all 12 teams in the Pro Kabaddi League. The Warriorz are home to some big names like Maninder Singh, Fazel Atrachali and Nitesh Kumar this season.
Perhaps, the team's followers will cross the 200,000 mark if they perform well this year. Bengal will open their campaign against Jaipur Pink Panthers on Sunday (October 20).
#11 Haryana Steelers - 197,000 followers
Manpreet Singh-coached Haryana Steelers also have less than 200,000 followers on Instagram. It is pertinent to note that the Steelers joined PKL in Season 5.
Their fan following increased significantly last season when they made it to the final. With the arrival of Mohammadreza Shadloui now, Haryana's fan following should increase even more in PKL 11.
#10 Dabang Delhi KC - 203,000 followers
Dabang Delhi KC have been a part of the Pro Kabaddi League since the inaugural season. Still, they are nowhere near the top 5 among the most-followed PKL teams on Instagram.
Star players like Naveen Kumar, Ashu Malik and Yogesh Dahiya will play for the Dabangs in Season 11. Perhaps, another trophy win may boost the PKL team's fan following.
#9 UP Yoddhas - 224,000 followers
Owned by GMR Sports, UP Yoddhas' fan following increased by tons in the last three seasons when the league's number one raider Pardeep Narwal played for the franchise. At the moment, the Yoddhas have almost 224,000 followers on Instagram.
Some new names like Bharat Hooda, Sahul Kumar and Mahender Singh have joined the Yoddhas this year. It will be interesting to see if they can grow the fanbase further with their gameplay.
#8 Gujarat Giants - 254,000 followers
Despite not being a part of the first four PKL seasons, Adani Sportsline-owned Gujarat Giants are among the eight Pro Kabaddi teams with more than 250,000 followers on Instagram.
The Giants finished runners-up in their first two seasons. Also, prominent names like Fazel Atrachali, Abozar Mighani, Sachin Tanwar, Rohit Kumar, and Rohit Gulia have played for this team, which has played a major role in building their immense fan following.
#7 Telugu Titans - 257,000 followers
It is a bit surprising to see the Telugu Titans outside top 6 on this list because their fans always show up in large numbers to cheer for the team in Hyderabad. The Titans are seventh on this list with 257,000 followers.
Star Indian all-rounder Pawan Sehrawat is the captain of the team. If the Titans improve their performance on the mat this year, their fan following should go up as well.
#6 U Mumba - 276,000 followers
U Mumba were among the most-followed PKL teams when Anup Kumar captained the side. However, the team's fan following has reduced relatively in recent seasons.
The team management's decision to play with young raiders and experienced defenders did not work out well in PKL 10. With a fresh strategy, U Mumba will start their PKL 11 campaign against Dabang Delhi KC tonight.
#5 Jaipur Pink Panthers - 327,000 followers
Owned by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, Jaipur Pink Panthers hold the fifth position on this list. The Pink Panthers are former two-time champions of the Pro Kabaddi League.
Besides, they have also signed legendary players like Rahul Chaudhari, Anup Kumar, Deepak Hooda, and Manjeet Chhillar in the league, which is why PKL fans have always had their eyes on the team.
#4 Patna Pirates - 329,000 followers
Three-time champions Patna Pirates built a massive fanbase during the first five seasons of the Pro Kabaddi League. They made it to the semifinals in the first two seasons and then won three titles on the trot from seasons three to five.
When a team performs so consistently, its fan following increases naturally. If Patna have another run like seasons three to five, the team can attain the first rank on this list soon.
#3 Tamil Thalaivas - 422,000 followers
Tamil Thalaivas have the lowest number of playoffs appearances by any team in Pro Kabaddi League history. Still, they have managed to earn a place in the top 3 of this list.
With 422,000 Instagram followers, the Thalaivas are third most-followed franchise in PKL. It is time the franchise rewards the fans with a title win now.
#2 Puneri Paltan - 449,000 followers
Defending champions Puneri Paltan have almost 450,000 followers on Instagram. The Pune-based franchise has been quite consistent in the last two seasons.
With rising stars like Aslam Inamdar, Mohit Goyat, Pankaj Mohite, and Abinesh Nadarajan, the Puneri Paltan team has built quite a brand on social media. The team will likely reach the 500,000 followers milestone soon.
#1 Bengaluru Bulls - 853,000 followers
Season 6 champions Bengaluru Bulls own the record for the most Instagram followers among all Pro Kabaddi League franchises. The Bulls have 853,000 followers on the photo-sharing site, and it should not be a surprise if they become the first PKL franchise to compete 1 million followers.
Record Breaker Pardeep Narwal will captain the Bulls this year. In the past, big names like Ajay Thakur, Manjeet Chhillar, Pawan Sehrawat, Rohit Kumar, Surender Nada, and Mohit Chhillar have been associated with the franchise, which is why it has a huge fan following.
