New Delhi, August 22: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to secure a title sponsor for the Indian cricket team’s domestic matches. Interest in acquiring these rights has been low due to high pricing.
Despite the bid submission deadline of August 13, the Indian board either received no bids for the rights or the offers were below expectations. The BCCI issued the invitation on July 20, with the deadline for purchasing ITT documents set for August 4. The last date for seeking clarifications was August 5.
The board is currently in discussions with potential sponsors, including Google Gemini, Spinny, and SBI Life.
The current rights holder, IDFC First Bank, pays ₹4.2 crore per match, but raising the base price to ₹4.75 crore poses a significant hurdle for potential deals. This agreement was for two years, while IDFC Bank secured rights for three years in 2023. The Indian board has confirmed in its ITT that it expects the rights holder to host approximately 35 matches.
According to ‘Cricbuzz’, the BCCI stated, “For tendering purposes only, and without any representation, warranty, commitment, or minimum guarantee from the BCCI, it is currently expected that the board will host around 35 chargeable matches during the rights period, which will always be subject to the final schedule determined at the sole discretion of the BCCI.”
Some potential sponsors applied for the ITT property, which required a non-refundable fee of ₹1 lakh. Reports indicate that GroupM, ITW, and Sporty Solutions have purchased the documents.
Additionally, the Indian board issued a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for associate partner rights for BCCI events. The brand that acquires the title sponsorship rights cannot purchase associate rights, and confirmation of associate rights will occur only after the title sponsor is finalized. The deadline for purchasing the RFQ was August 14, with the last date for seeking clarifications set for August 16. The deadline for submitting quotation documents is August 25.
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