Dream11 acquires Team India’s jersey sponsorship for INR 358 crore
In a significant development, the popular fantasy gaming platform, Dream11, will replace Byju’s as the new jersey sponsor of Team India. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the release of a tender for the team’s new jersey sponsor on June 14.
Byju’s had an optional deal with BCCI until November 2023. However, they decided to back out of the contract in March. India were devoid of a jersey sponsor since then. They also played in the World Test Championship final against Australia in England, earlier this month, without a jersey sponsor.
During the tenure of Byju’s, BCCI earned around Rs 5.50 crore for every match in a bilateral series. This amount dropped to Rs 1.70 crore in games in ICC events due to the placement of the logo on the jersey. It is believed that the amount the richest cricket board in the world will be receiving from Dream11 will be lesser when compared to that during its contract with Byju’s. Notably, the sponsorship rights have been purchased for INR 358 crore.
BCCI’s statement released on June 14 had forbidden certain brand categories from participating in the process. While “Real Money Gaming” was on the list of categories that were prohibited, an exception was made for “Fantasy Sports Gaming”.
As per the report, industry experts have mentioned how there has been a lack of interest shown by brands despite BCCI lowering the base price
Dream11 has been associated with the BCCI, albeit in a different capacity, as they were the title sponsor in the Indian Premier League (IPL) back in 2020. It is one of the oldest and most popular fantasy platforms going around. Some of the most sought-after current Indian cricketers are associated with Dream11 to promote the brand.