HYDERABAD: After a long, stressful day at the office—putting up with your manager’s jabs, wearing out your keyboard, and straining your eyes—you finally step outside. But instead of battling traffic for hours, imagine this: you head straight to a game of football or volleyball with your colleagues or friends. And after the match, you kick back with some chilled beers. And this is not your imagination anymore—this is for real! Yes, you can do all of this right here in the city. ‘The League’, a newly opened sports arena in the heart of the Financial District, has everything you need to relax, play, and recharge.
With box cricket, football, volleyball courts, pickleball, throwball, rappelling, a cycling track, a 60-foot adventure tower, the longest urban zip line in Hyderabad stretching over 1,200 feet, the city’s tallest sky jump, and an outdoor rock climbing wall, whatnot, ‘The League’—spanning over 6.5 acres—offers almost every activity you could want. Whether you’re coming with colleagues, friends, or family, there’s something for everyone.
Talking about the vision behind ‘The League’, Monish R Srinivasan, one of the partners at Shree Venkateshwara Hotels, shared that the idea started small, with a one-acre plot for a football field, box cricket and maybe a small eatery.
“Over time, we thought, why not expand and make this a complete franchise—a place where multiple sports could be played? So, we branched out, adding pickleball, beach volleyball (for which we brought in sand from the nearest beach in Gudur), basketball, and more. The goal was to create a space where people could enjoy playing or watching sports, right in the heart of Hyderabad.”
But it’s not just the sports that attract people here—‘The Huddle’, bar and kitchen located within ‘The League’, is a standout as well. During the afternoons, it offers a buffet, especially on weekends for lunch or brunch.
The menu includes a mix of regional Andhra and Telangana delicacies, alongside international cuisines like Italian, Mexican, and Mediterranean. By evening, it transforms into a lively sports bar with creative cocktails and snacks, drawing a crowd of professionals from nearby offices who drop by after work for drinks and a bite. Or people can just walk in with their family to savour some delicious food.
“The idea is that wherever you sit in the restaurant, you’ll be able to see a live sport being played, whether it’s football, volleyball, or others. We didn’t want a closed, cramped environment.
Instead, the space is open, airy, and designed to be comfortable and refreshing,” said, R V Raj Gopal, Partner, Shree Venkateshwara Group of Hotels, explaning about the carefully crafted interiors of ‘The Huddle’.
For those who want to indulge in healthy food after a game, Raj Gopal said that they are working on a menu with more protein-rich options. They’ve already started experimenting with millet-based dishes, particularly foxtail millet, which is a good source of protein. Vegan and raw food options are also in the works, with a dedicated kitchen space to cater to specific dietary needs.
Like many businesses, COVID-19 posed a significant challenge for the development of ‘The League’. The project was in full swing by 2019, with the help of an architect who had worked on World Cup stadiums. Though the pandemic forced them to pause, they used the time to fine-tune details like field positioning, ensuring the courts face north-south to avoid sun interference, and installing 60-degree lens lighting to prevent glare.
The mission of ‘The League’ is to encourage people to incorporate sports into their daily lives, even if it’s just for an hour said Monish R Srinivasan. Whether you’re with friends, family, or colleagues, they believe in the physical and mental health benefits of sports. And of course, who doesn’t love some good food after a workout? It’s all about creating a space where people can enjoy both.
