BCCI Unlikely To Allow Chinese Brands For IPL 2024 Title Sponsorship – REPORTS

The last time a Chinese brand had rights to the IPL was VIVO, which held the title sponsorship rights for five years from 2018 to 2022.

New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League 2024 (IPL) edition, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is looking for a tournament sponsorship, but the board has made strict conditions for bidders according to a report.

However, the apex council has hinted that they may not seek any Chinese brands, citing its reluctance to be associated with firms from countries that do not have friendly relations with India. The reserve price for the rights is INR 360 crore per year.

The last time a Chinese brand had rights to the IPL was VIVO, which held the title sponsorship rights for five years from 2018 to 2022, but due to political tensions between India and China, they suspended their sponsorship for the 2020 IPL season. Dream11 took over as the title sponsor that year.

The BCCI unlikely to allow Chinese brands for IPL title sponsorship. (Cricbuzz). pic.twitter.com/XeNpe49ezg

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 26, 2023

“While specific countries or brands have not been mentioned explicitly, the BCCI’s decision stems from the public backlash and a negative experience with Vivo, a Chinese smartphone maker. This situation arose in the aftermath of the border standoff between India and China. Subsequently, Vivo chose to exit from the five-year sponsorship agreement, relinquishing the rights to the Tata Group,” as quoted by Cricbuzz.

The BCCI has expanded its list of ineligible bidders to include companies associated with fantasy games, sportswear, cryptocurrency, betting, gambling, and alcohol products. Notably, firms involved in athleisure, performance wear, and sportswear are also barred from participating.

Despite the initial response to the sponsorship tender not being overwhelmingly positive, the BCCI anticipates attracting reputable bidders given the IPL’s global stature. The five-year sponsorship agreement, set to extend until 2028, is expected to undergo the bidding process around January 13-14, with the ITT document available for purchase until January 8.

A crucial clause in the Invitation to Tender (ITT) reads, “Each bidder which is a corporate entity must not be incorporated in a jurisdiction/territory with which India does not have a friendly relation. In the event, any corporate(s) which is a shareholder or a proposed shareholder in the Bidder is incorporated in a jurisdiction/territory with which India does not have friendly relations, the Bidder will be required to provide a detailed chart of the shareholding in such Bidder or it ultimate Parent Company and the details of ultimate owners/beneficiaries of all shareholders which are body corporate in such Bidder or its ultimate Parent Company along with the Bid Documents as a material obligations”