BCCI invites tenders for title sponsor rights for matches in India

At a time when most new-age firms are avoiding cricket sponsorship, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a tender for title sponsor rights for international matches played in India, according to a report by The Economic Times (ET). 

The tender document will be available until August 21 and is available for purchase for a non-refundable fee of Rs 1 lakh. The cricket administration body has stated that purchasing the tender does not guarantee bidding rights, and only companies meeting the eligibility criteria can bid for the rights.

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Parle Products senior category head Krishnarao Buddha told ET that if the pricing is correct, then the BCCI will find enough companies willing to bid for the title sponsor rights. The asset should deliver value to the brand at the right price, he added.

27th Sports CEO Sangeet Shirodkar was quoted as saying that the Indian cricket team's jersey and title sponsorship assets are among the most valuable selling points in the country. He added that the title sponsor rights are highly valuable as India plays strong teams on its home turf.

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As new-age firms have been affected because of the funding freeze, traditional advertisers will be back in contention for the title sponsor rights, Melroy D'souza, COO of PMG Sports, said. According to him, unlike the new-age advertisers who were acquiring customers through cricket sponsorship to get more valuation, most traditional brands will want value for their money.

From September to March, Mastercard was the main title sponsor for all international cricket matches played in India.

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