The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on June 15, 2023, placed a tender inviting bids for main sponsorship of the Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams after Ed-Tech firm BYJU's left the scene by March 31 this year.
The Board had last month roped in sportswear giant Adidas as the team’s new kit sponsor.
However, as a caveat, they have barred certain brands from specific industries that cannot bid for the tender.
BYJU’s had taken over from OPPO in 2019 as the lead sponsor of the team, but experienced major financial issues off late, leading to them ending their partnership with the Indian team.
In a media release on Wednesday announcing the release of Invitation to Tender (ITT) for Team India’s lead sponsor Rights, the Board mentioned “certain brand categories in which the interested party cannot bid.”
They are (a) Athleisure and Sportswear Manufacturer; (b) Alcohol Products; (c) Betting; d) Cryptocurrency; (e) Real Money Gaming (Except Fantasy Sports Gaming); (f) Tobacco; and (g) one which is likely to offend public morals such as, including but not limited to, pornography.”
“The BCCI invites bids from reputed entities for acquiring the National Team Lead Sponsor rights. Any interested party wishing to submit a bid is required to purchase the ITT. However, only those satisfying the eligibility criteria set out in the ITT and subject to the other terms and conditions set out therein, shall be eligible to bid. It is clarified that merely purchasing the ITT does not entitle any person to bid,” BCCI said in the release on Wednesday.
India will be hosting the ODI World Cup later this year and this is lucrative enough for the brands to get their names on the Indian team jersey.
(Times of India report)
