BCCI invites sponsorship bids

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has invited bids for the sponsorship for a series of matches involving the national team.

The all-powerful national governing body for cricket in India is vying for bidders to sponsor test matches, Twenty20 internationals and one-day internationals. Any sponsorship deals struck for the aforementioned games will cover games played until 2013. While companies considering bidding have been allowed to form consortiums, a high ranking official from the BCCI has stated that agencies engaged in audio-video production services of live cricket are not allowed to take part in the tender process and full rights of sponsorship will only be given to one bidder.

The chosen sponsor will be eligible to tag its name to all domestic tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy, in addition to all Test matches, ODI’s and Twenty20 internationals. Chief administrative officer of BCC Ratnakar Shetty said: “We are considering sponsorships for matches to be played in India over the next three years. The reserve price has been determined at Rs 2 crore (US$428.882) per match.” It is thought that the BCCI could earn approximately Rs 500 crore (US$100 million) from 150 matches during the period from 1^st September 2010 to 21^st March 2013.

A scramble of corporate hands eager to gain valuable exposure is set to ensue. Recent claims of complaints from players such as captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni towards the BCCI have been quickly refuted by officials, whatever the news surrounding the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the premise remains power and the message is money.

The BCCI recently signed a new contract, which commenced on July 1^st, with Sahara India, a multi-business conglomerate. The deal penned is worth US$100.8 million and a maximum of up to US$120.24 million, depending on the amount of games played by the Indian cricket team until December 2013.