It was not easy for the Board of Control for Cricket in India to persuade the Tata Group to associate with the Indian Premier League 2020 as the title sponsor.
The brand that sponsored Indian contingent for the 1920 Antwerp and the 1924 Paris Olympic Games, it is said was initially reluctant to bid for the rights for a mere one year. Once in the fray, Tata Group is now reportedly determined to win the bid.
It is learned a top BBCI official has also had a meeting with the Tata Group team.
Tata Motors already has an existing three-year deal with the IPL to have the brand’s compact SUV as the official partner of the league.
Contrary to earlier assumptions the BCCI can lose over 50% in the bargain to find a replacement for the IPL title sponsor Vivo, which has a ₹ 440-crore per annum contract with the board.
The BCCI has launched the tender process for the IPL title sponsorship rights after its agreement to pause the deal with the Chinese mobile phone manufacturer for one year in the wake of the growing anti-China sentiment in the country.
Two e-education brands Byju’s, also the sponsor of the national cricket teams; and Unacademy, also an IPL official partner, too are in the fray for the IPL title rights.
However, according to the market sources, the Tata bid can only face a tough challenge from the online fantasy sports platform Dream11, with the latter expected to take the bid value to up to ₹ 300 crores or even a little above that.
The BCCI has fixed August 18 date to announce the successful bidder. It is expected that a decision may come by Monday late evening.
The IPL 2020 will be played in the UAE across three venues – Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi – from September 19 to November 10.
Tata Group’s medical arm is already associated with the IPL 2020. It will create the bio-secure bubbles to keep the COVID-19 pandemic threat at bay.
The brand may also be picked for the IPL naming rights.