STL Premier
SportSepak takraw
Founded15 June 2016 (2016-06-15)
No. of teams10 (2023)
CountryMalaysia Malaysia
Most recent
champion(s)		Perak Bison (2nd title)
(2023)
Most titlesPenang Black Panthers (3 titles)
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toSTL Division 1
Current sports event STL Premier 2023

The STL Premier or Sepak Takraw League Premier, is the top level of the Sepak Takraw League, the Malaysian men's professional league for sepak takraw, a sport native to Southeast Asia. Contested by 10 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Sepak Takraw League. Originally founded in 2014 as a single league season, the league system underwent another major revamp by introducing a promotion and relegation system after 2015 season.[1] The new format was well-received, with the viewership of STL hitting a new record of 5.6 million viewers in the 2016 season, improving from 4.8 million viewers a year earlier.[2] All competitions under the league use the official International Sepaktakraw Federation (ISTAF) rules and regulation.

History

Origins

Malaysian sepak takraw was on the decline due to a talent pool shortage in the 2010s, with only 29 players available for national team selection at one point.[3] A professional sepak takraw league was mooted in 2013 after Astro and UFA Sports Asia launched Singapore-based Asia Sports Ventures to undertake the development and global commercialisation of sepak takraw.[4] Numerous discussions were held involving stakeholders to form a league similar to the Takraw Thailand League (TTL), which has been running since 2002.[5] STL was officially launched by then Malaysian Minister of Youth and Sports Khairy Jamaluddin and STAM president Ahmad Ismail in Putrajaya on 7 November 2014.[6]

Foundation year

In its first season, 128 teams from seven zones in Peninsular Malaysia such as Perak participated in preliminary rounds to qualify for the main competition. The best 16 teams were drawn into four groups, with the top two teams of each group progressing to the knockout stage. Hanelang A were the inaugural STL champions after beating PDRM D in the Grand Final on 18 January 2015 and took home a grand prize of RM20,000.[7]

Professional era

The competition immediately entered its professional era the following season as teams were consolidated and narrowed down to eight teams.[8] After the 2015 season, in which ATM became its first professional-era champions, it underwent another major revamp by introducing a promotion and relegation system.[9] The new format was well-received, with the viewership of STL hitting a new record of 5.6 million viewers in the 2016 season, improving from 4.8 million viewers a year earlier.[10] STL Champions Cup was created the following year to promote the league outside Malaysia.

In 2018, STL played a huge role in helping Malaysia win a gold medal in sepak takraw at the Asian Games for the first time in 24 years,[11] as the five players involved were from the league: Farhan Adam, Zulkifli Abdul Razak, Syahir Rosdi, Azlan Alias and Norhafizi Abdul Razak.[12]

In 2019, the league was officially broadcast outside of Malaysia for the first time when Indonesian broadcaster TVRI covered STL Champions Cup.[13]

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the 2020 movement control order, the league was affected[14] and three teams based in East Malaysia, namely Sabah Mountaineers, Sarawak Hunter and Labuan Drillers, did not participate in the 2020 season. Plans to hold the league around the country were also shelved with all STL Premier and STL Division 1 matches taking place at Titiwangsa Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, with no crowd in attendance. The season began in September 2020 but was halted indefinitely a month later, first due to players and team officials coming into close contact with a person tested positive for COVID-19[15] and then due to a new movement control order imposed in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.[16] The season resumed again in December and concluded with the Kuala Lumpur Thunder winning their maiden STL Premier title.[17] The Kuala Lumpur side then became only the second team to do a double by winning the STL Champions Cup.[18]

Competition format

Regular season

There are currently 10 clubs in STL Premier. During the course of a season, the clubs play each other twice (a double round-robin system) for 18 games. The teams receive two points for a win and zero points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then set difference and then point difference. As of the 2020 season, the top six teams qualify for STL Champions Cup. The two lowest placed teams are relegated to STL Division 1, and the top two teams from STL Division 1 are promoted in their place.

Clubs

Champions

STL (Amateur Era)

Season Champions Runners-up
2014 Hanelang A PDRM D

STL Premier

Season Champions Runners-up
2015 ATM Guardians Penang Black Panthers
2016 Penang Black Panthers Kuala Lumpur Thunder
2017 Penang Black Panthers Kuala Lumpur Thunder
2018 Penang Black Panthers ATM Guardians
2019 Perak Bison ATM Guardians
2020 Kuala Lumpur Thunder ATM Guardians
2021/22 ATM Guardians Kuala Lumpur Thunder
2023 Perak Bison Kuala Lumpur Thunder

2023 season

Ten clubs compete in the 2023 season.

2023
Club		 2021/22
Position		 First season in
STL Premier		 Seasons in
STL Premier		 Top
division
titles		 Best result in
STL Premier
ATM Guardians1st201572Champions (2015 , 2021/22)
Johor Tigris6th20157-3rd (2019 , 2020)
Kuala Lumpur Thunder2nd201571Champions (2020)
Penang Black Panthers4th201573Champions (2016 , 2017, 2018)
Sabah Mountaineers- 2016 3 - 10th (2019)
Perak Bison8th201752Champions (2019 , 2023)
Negeri Sembilan Antlers3rd20193-3rd (2021/22)
Bomba Fighters9th2021/20222-9th (2021/22)
KPT-Masum Knights2nd (D1)20231--
Melaka Titans1st (D1)20231--

*As of the 2023 season

Sponsorship

Season Official Sponsor/Partner
2015
2016[19] Budi Group, Dashing, Ekspres Perdana,[20] iBookCourt, Marathon,

Minamax Construction, National Education Savings Scheme, Sinar,

Sports Arena Sentosa, Spritzer, Subang Jaya City Council

2017 Cactus, FBT, Innate Energy, iSooka, Sinar
2018 Era, FBT, Gegar, Sinar, Twitter[21]
2019[22] Gegar, Gem In Mall,[23] Jazz Hotel, Li-Ning, M Roof Hotel & Residences,

Nokia, Sinar Harian, Syok, Zayan

2020 Idemitsu,[24] Li-Ning,[25] Sinar Harian
2021/ 2022[26]2023 Kedai Emas Anuar (title sponsor)
Utusan Malaysia, BP Healthcare, Li-Ning, Idemitsu

Media coverage

Broadcaster Year Note
Astro Arena (Malaysia) 2014-current
ELEVENSPORTS.com 2022 Available in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Hong Kong.[27]

References

  1. ↑ "Liga Sepak Takraw 2016 guna format baharu". BH Online (in Malay). 15 June 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  2. ↑ "(SUKAN) Ledakan STL 2017 Dijangka Lebih Panas | Galaksi Media". Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  3. ↑ "Other Sport: Takraw: Malaysia's sliding into mediocrity | The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  4. ↑ "Astro-ufa Sports joint venture a boost for sepaktakraw". The Borneo Post. 27 June 2013. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2023 – via PressReader.
  5. ↑ "Takrawesome | Takraw Thailand League Explained!". Takrawesome. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  6. ↑ "Liga Sepak Takraw Mampu Lahir Ramai Pemain Pelapis - Khairy - Sukan | mStar". www.mstar.com.my. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  7. ↑ "Sepak takraw: Hanelang juara edisi sulung STL". BH Online (in Malay). 19 January 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  8. ↑ amin. "SepakTakraw League (STL 2015) | Jadual dan Keputusan". SANoktah. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  9. ↑ "Liga Sepak Takraw 2016 guna format baharu". BH Online (in Malay). 15 June 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  10. ↑ "(SUKAN) Ledakan STL 2017 Dijangka Lebih Panas | Galaksi Media". Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  11. ↑ "Asian Games: Malaysia wins first sepak takraw gold in 24 years". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  12. ↑ "From Asian Games to STL: Meet the boys who made Malaysia proud | SEPAK-TAKRAW News | Stadium Astro". www.stadiumastro.com. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  13. ↑ "Jadwal Siaran Live TVRI Sepak Takraw League Champions Cup 2019". tirto.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  14. ↑ Alagesh, T. N. (2 July 2020). "Football, sepak takraw competitions to resume soon, says sports minister | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  15. ↑ "Coronavirus: Sepak Takraw League postponed due to COVID-19 | SEPAK-TAKRAW News | Stadium Astro". www.stadiumastro.com. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  16. ↑ "Non-contact sports, athletics training permitted under CMCO". The Edge Markets. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  17. ↑ ZAINI, SHAHRIZAL AHMAD (31 December 2020). "KL Thunder juara STL 2020". Sinarharian (in Malay). Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  18. ↑ "Piala Juara-Juara STL: Pengalaman jadi bekalan KL Thunder bergelar juara | SEPAK TAKRAW News | Stadium Astro". www.stadiumastro.com. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  19. ↑ "Persatuan Sepaktakraw Malaysia - PSM". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  20. ↑ "Stadium Astro". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  21. ↑ "Twitter and Astro to collaborate on Sepaktakraw League 2018 Digital Content | Press Release | Mediaroom | Astro". www.astro.com.my. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  22. ↑ "Catch the most exciting moments of STL 2019 LIVE at selected venues throughout Malaysia". The Independent. 7 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  23. ↑ "STL: Gem In Mall Cyberjaya jadi venue pilihan | SEPAK TAKRAW LEAGUE News | Stadium Astro". www.stadiumastro.com. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  24. ↑ "Idemitsu sponsors Sepak Takraw League and ATM Guardians | SEPAK-TAKRAW News | Stadium Astro". www.stadiumastro.com. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  25. ↑ Guan, Kng Zheng (29 August 2020). "Li Ning to extend STL sponsorship | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  26. ↑ Lee, Seng Foo (12 December 2021). "Kedai Emas Anuar announced as Sepak Takraw League title sponsor | Stadium Astro". Stadium Astro. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  27. ↑ Lee, Seng Foo (5 January 2022). "Sepak Takraw League to be broadcast live in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong". Stadium Astro. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
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