RCom, others in race for BCCI sponsorship

Anil Ambani's Reliance Communications, Pepsi and Idea Cellular are among the eight corporates that have bid for the sponsorship of international cricket matches to be held in India till March 2010. One or all the three biggies are likely to be the sponsors covering all home games for four years.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BBCI) had invited bids on August 13 for the sponsorship of one-day internationals, tests and Twenty20 matches to be played in India between September 2007 and March 2010. Sources in the know said that the BCCI stated a minimum base sponsorship amount of Rs 3 crore. When contacted, a BCCI executive declined to comment.

The bidding companies have the choice of either bidding individually or as a group.

This means that it could be one sponsor for the next four years or a group of sponsors, who decide among themselves to sponsor different cricket matches.

Pepsi, TVS and Videocon had formed a consortium a few years ago for the sponsorship of all international cricket events in India, which ended on May 31, 2006. Under this plan, title sponsorship of all international cricket matches in India during the period was restricted to only these three corporates.

This year the same system could be repeated. The sponsors will be announced early next week after the bid closes on August 27.

The BCCI has already sold the broadcasting rights to Harish Thawani-promoted Nimbus Communications.