After two decades of self-withdrawal, Coca-Cola is preparing to bet on the rising popularity of sports in India. On Thursday, it announced it had won a five-year contract as a key sponsor for International Cricket Council (ICC) events. It is also in advanced talks for several other sporting events, sources said.
The ICC deal is estimated at over Rs 300 crore. It is also looking at the Indian Premier League and other cricket tournaments, beside regional sport leagues, such as those on kabaddi. Says Vijay Parasuraman, vice-president for marketing at Coca-Cola India & South West Asia, “we are open to endorsing