The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has set stringent requirements for prospective bidders in an effort to secure a title sponsor for the Indian Premier League (IPL). The BCCI has expressed its unwillingness to collaborate with brands or businesses in China. An annual reserve price of INR 360 crore is attached to the sponsorship rights.
What gives China the cold shoulder? A report on Cricbuzz claims that the BCCI has taken a lesson from its unpleasant experience with the Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo. Following the border impasse between China and India, Vivo decided to graciously end their five-year sponsorship agreement and turn the reigns over to the Tata Group.
However, China isn’t the only country being shrugged off. With businesses connected to sportswear, cryptocurrencies, and fantasy games, the BCCI is elusive.
A crucial section of the Invitation to Tender (ITT) document is cited by Cricbuzz, and it clearly says, “Each bidder that is a corporate entity must not be incorporated in a jurisdiction or territory with which India does not have a friendly relationship.”
The prerequisites are a long list of unacceptable things. You are out of the game if you are into sportswear manufacturing, cryptocurrency trading, or gambling and betting. Not even businesses based in tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands or Mauritius are eligible.
“Bidders operating or engaged directly or indirectly in athleisure, performance wear, and sportswear will not be eligible,” states the ITT.
The previous agreement with the Tata Group came to an end following the previous season, necessitating the search for a new title sponsor. The reserve fee alludes to what the Tata Group was paying for the previous two seasons, and the BCCI is seeking a five-year commitment.
Is anyone interested, though? is the crucial query. The sponsorship field hasn’t exactly taken off after receiving the first responses to the tender. The Invitation to Tender (ITT) document can still be obtained by prospective sponsors, however, through January 8. The bidding war is anticipated to start on January 13 or 14.
Bidders’ Ineligibility:
(a) Bidders and the Group companies they represent are ineligible if they: (i) offer betting, gambling services, or other related activities in India or abroad; (ii) offer such services to individuals in India; or (iii) own any investment or ownership stake in companies that offer betting or gambling services in India.
(b) Bidders and the Group firms they represent are required to abstain from any direct or indirect involvement in the cryptocurrency trading, exchange, token, or related business activities.
(c) Bidders participating in more than one brand/project category, such as those involving tobacco or alcohol goods, are not permitted to submit a bid for the brand categories that are prohibited. They are free to put in a bid for any other non-prohibited brand category, though.
(d) Those who are bidding who are directly or indirectly involved in fantasy gaming, along with their Group firms, are not permitted to bid. This includes participating in or running a fantasy sports gaming enterprise.
(e) Those who place a bid but are either directly or indirectly connected to sportswear, performance wear, or athleisure are not allowed to continue.
(f) It is absolutely forbidden for bidders to submit bids using surrogate brands. Any attempt to obliquely make a bid on behalf of a different organization or individual by utilizing false names, brand identities, or trademarks is prohibited.
India
