Down, But Not Out

Despite its fifth mid-season title sponsor exit, Indian cricket's reach and visibility will allow the BCCI to command a higher premium for its next deal

- By KATHAKALI CHANDA

AT THE ASIA CUP BEGINNING September 9, defending champion India fielded a side wearing an unusual look—the team led by Surya Kumar Yadav played without a sponsor's logo on the front of the jersey. The team's lead sponsor, fantasy sports platform Dream1l, which started its association with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2023, exited its ₹358-crore, three-year contract mid-season following the government's ban on real-money gaming. The board has released a tender to invite new sponsors to last till the 2028 cycle, setting a deadline of September 16 for the bids to come in.

It's not entirely unusual in global sports for teams to take the field without a lead sponsor. For example, English football club Chelsea has started the current season of the Premier League without a matchday shirt sponsor. But the BCCI title sponsorship, or the lack of it, is complicated by extraneous circumstances. Dream11 is also the fifth in a line of marquee sponsors—after Sahara, Star India, Oppo and Byju’s—to have opted out over issues ranging from financial losses, rising costs or government stance.