The men’s Hockey India League (HIL) returned on Saturday, January 3, but the opening two days at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium revealed a worrying trend. While the Women’s HIL, which began on December 28, 2025, in Ranchi’s Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Stadium, has enjoyed healthy attendance across matches, the men’s competition has struggled to draw spectators.
Despite the presence of the home side, Tamil Nadu Dragons, playing the season opener against previous edition runners-up Hyderabad Toofans, the stands remained largely empty. The trend continued during Sunday’s double-headers, with a visible lack of spectators even though free entry was announced for the entire HIL in an effort to attract fans.
The Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium has a strong history of hosting marquee hockey events. It staged the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy in 2023 and the Junior World Cup more recently, both of which witnessed packed stands and an electric atmosphere. However, during the men’s HIL 2026, that familiar pulse appears missing from the city.
Unlike the Junior World Cup 2025 and the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2023, which benefited from extensive institutional backing, city-wide branding, and school outreach programmes, the HIL’s return has lacked on-ground promotion. The absence of sustained feet-on-the-street marketing has been evident, especially when compared to international tournaments previously hosted in Chennai.
As a result, many residents who are not hard-core hockey followers remain unaware that global stars such as Blake Govers, Manpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Tom Boon, Alexander Hendrickx, and Harmanpreet Singh are playing in their backyard. If fans are unfamiliar with the Tamil Nadu Dragons or unaware that a professional league is underway, few would brave Chennai traffic to attend matches, even with free entry.
India’s back-to-back Olympic bronze medals reignited national pride in hockey, reconnecting many with the sport after decades. However, that emotional surge has not translated into sustained popularity, and hockey’s marketing ecosystem continues to lag far behind cricket.
When Hockey India revived the HIL in 2024 after a seven-year hiatus, seasons held in Odisha and Jharkhand witnessed encouraging crowds for both the men’s and women’s competitions. The same, however, cannot be said for the men’s league this season.
For hockey to achieve sustainability beyond its traditional eastern strongholds, Hockey India and franchise owners must treat the league as a full-fledged entertainment product. Increased school collaborations, fan zones, and social media storytelling that elevates hockey stars into recognisable personalities are essential. Starting the season in Chennai was a bold step towards decentralising the sport, but spreading the game requires more than simply shifting venues.
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