BCCI officially announced the departure of Chinese phone maker VIVO as the title sponsor of IPL 2020 on Thursday through a statement. The decision appears to have been made after diplomatic tensions between India and China following violent clashes between their armies in Ladakh earlier this year.
A wave of boycotts of Chinese products swept through India after the deaths of its soldiers and the BCCI was criticized for not severing ties with VIVO. While the decision may appease critics, the board faces the challenge of finding a title sponsor in times of financial crisis.
The deal with VIVO was around Rs 440 million per year over a period of five years and even if IPL manages to find a suitable sponsor, the deal is expected to be much less, which according to industry experts will continue being beneficial to all. BCCI.
The times of India reports that e-commerce giant Amazon is leading the race to be the next title sponsor as they target the lucrative festival season. However, the learning app BYJU, sponsor of the Indian cricket team jersey, and the fantasy app Dream11 are also considering title rights.
“The BCCI is looking for partners today. If Byju decides to support the IPL today and rework the sponsorship numbers for the jersey in the future, it could be a victory for them and the BCCI, ”the sources quoted TOI as saying.
“That is where there is room for an Unacademy or MyCircle11 to enter as official partners. If Dream 11 takes the title, Unacademy can step in as official partners. If Byju takes the title, MyCircle11 can enter. The brands will not be in conflict, “said the sources quoted by the newspaper.
The 13th season of IPL begins on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates.
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