Dream 11 as IPL 2020 title sponsor, Unacademy as official partner for 3 years [Update Post#250]

[Hadi Rizvi]

Traders' body CAIT on Wednesday wrote to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) raising objections over the Indian Premier League's title sponsor reportedly having stakeholders from China. In a letter to BCCI President Saurav Ganguly, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said: "We are deeply pained to note that now Dream 11 has been chosen as sponsor of IPL 2020 which has Chinese company Tencent Global as one of the major stakeholders".

"We are of the considered opinion that awarding sponsorship to Dream 11 is nothing but a bye pass route to neglect the sentiments and feelings prevailing among the people of India against China for its regular attempts to invade the interests of India," said CAIT, which is spearheading the campaign to boycott Chinese goods.

Fantasy gaming platform Dream11 on Tuesday won the Indian Premier League (IPL) title sponsorship rights with a bid of Rs 222 crore, replacing Chinese mobile phone company Vivo for a four and a half month deal.

Dream11 has been one of the IPL sponsors for a couple of years now. Vivo and the BCCI suspended a Rs 440 crore-per-year deal for this season owing to the border stand-off between India and China.

The IPL, moved out of India due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year, starts on September 19 in the UAE.

There are certain questions about Chinese company Tencent's investment in Dream11, but one of the BCCI insiders privy to the development said that it is less than 10 per cent.

Dream11 is an Indian company founded by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth.

https://sports.ndtv.com/ipl-2020/cai...home-sshowcase

@cricketjoshila

Time to ask your brethren what they are on about?

[cricketjoshila]

https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/m.hin...2ZRpL_amp.html


Your understanding is little about these matters. You dont walk out of an agreement unilaterally and don't oay compensation. Because both parties wanted to avoud negative propoganda, they mutually decided to suspend the partnership.

[cricketjoshila]

Lol, paisa over national sentiments and the lives of the jawans. These beghairat current and ex indian cricketers don't care as long as $$$ are coming into the cricketing system.

Bhai why are you so desperate about Indian ghairat?

Other day you were dreaming about bcci paying out of its pocket.

Tencent hold less than 10 per cent in Dream11. A minority investor.

[cricketjoshila]

@cricketjoshila

Time to ask your brethren what they are on about?

They are making much ado about nothing. Dream11 has come out and said that Tencent hold less than 10 per cent in Dream11. So neither its a chinese company nor chinese hold majority stake.

[cricketjoshila]

If this is the case, then it's poor on the IPL to have a contract that has no legal consequences. They need to structure their contracts better.

You think BCCI will have a contract thats so easy to get out of?

Bcci wanted to get out, but that would have meant legal ramifications. Vivo wanted to get out too, so both mutually agreed to suspend the sponsorship for 1 year.

[Slim]

You think BCCI will have a contract thats so easy to get out of?

Bcci wanted to get out, but that would have meant legal ramifications. Vivo wanted to get out too, so both mutually agreed to suspend the sponsorship for 1 year.

So India China behen bhai after one year?

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

So India China behen bhai after one year?

One year? India and China are already behan bhai after 2 months of banning and boycotting.

[MenInG]

Despite Dream11 securing IPL title rights for the upcoming season, the BCCI is yet to officially confirm the fantasy gaming platform’s successful bid. The board wants Dream11 to raise its bid for the next two seasons (2021 and 2022) as it’s not willing to settle for the current offer of Rs 222 crore per year.

BCCI invited Expression of Interest from potential sponsors after ending its deal with Chinese phone maker VIVO which was paying it Rs 440 crore per season. Also Read - PAK-CC vs ICV Dream11 Team Predictions, ECS T10 - Vienna: Captain And Vice-Captain, Fantasy Cricket Tips Pakistan Cricket Club vs Indian CC Vienna, 16th Match at Seebarn Cricket Ground 12:30 PM IST Thursday August 20

According to news agency PTI, BCCI and Dream11 are still negotiating on the conditional three-year bid as per which the company is expected to pay Rs 240 crore each in 2021 and 2022 should Vivo not return. Also Read - IPL 2020: Shubman Gill Will be Part of Kolkata Knight Riders Leadership Group, Says Coach Brendon McCullum

“It was always clear that the highest bidder may not get the title rights (it was specified by the BCCI before accepting the Expression of Interest from bidders),” a veteran BCCI official, privy to the development, was quoted as saying by PTI on conditions of anonymity.

“Having said that, Dream11 has bid the highest and are still favourites to get it, a few issues are still being ironed out before an official announcement comes,” the official added.

BCCI reportedly wants the company to increase its bid for the second and third year of the deal. “If it’s for only year 2020, then Rs 222 crore works fine. But it was a conditional bid for three years. We still have our deal with Vivo on,” the official said.

“We haven’t closed it as it’s a pause. If we are getting Rs 440 crore, why will we settle for Rs 240 crore?” he asked.

In this scenario, Dream11 has two options — either to accept a one-year or rather four months 13 days deal of Rs 222 crore or increase the conditional amount for 2021 and 2022, which is their discretion.

https://www.india.com/sports/dream11...vised-4115976/

[Smbhayi]

IPL tournament sponsors (sponsorship fee per year)

DLF (2008-12) - 40 cr
Pepsi (2013-15) - 79.2 cr
Vivo (2016-17) - ~100 cr
Vivo (2018-19) - 439.8 cr
Dream X1 (2020- Just for 4 month) - 222 cr

very good deal.

Why people think there's a big loss in this deal? All I can see Vivo gives 439.8 cr in two season or 220 per season.. Actually it's a gain of 2 crores lol..
BTW I don't mind who sponsors who.. I'm using Chinese brand, Poco X2, and had Xender in my phone..

[MenInG]

Bengaluru-based edu-tech firm 'Unacademy' has been roped in the as official partner for the Indian Premier League for three seasons, the BCCI announced on Saturday. The 13th IPL is scheduled to be held in UAE from September 19 to November 10. "We are pleased to have Unacademy on board as the 'Official Partner' of the Indian Premier League 2020 to 2022," IPL chairman Brijesh Patel said in a release.

"IPL is the most watched cricket league in India and as a homegrown Indian edutech company we believe that Unacademy can create a huge positive impact on the aspirations of the audience watching, especially the millions of Indian youth who are seeking inspiration in their careers."

Commenting on the association, Karan Shroff, VP - Marketing, Unacademy, said: "We are delighted to become the Official Partner of IPL. Unacademy is a high-intensity brand that has disrupted the education and learning market with innovations and broken geographical barriers for Learners and Educators.

"With this partnership, we will double-down on our efforts to make Unacademy the biggest brand in the consumer-internet space in India. We thank the BCCI and IPL for the opportunity and look forward to a long and fruitful partnership."

The BCCI had earlier announced fantasy gaming platform Dream11 as this year's IPL title sponsor, replacing Chinese mobile phone company Vivo.

Dream11 had pipped educational technology companies Unacademy and BYJUs to win the rights for a period of four months and 13 days with a bid of Rs 222 crore.

https://sports.ndtv.com/ipl-2020/bcc...easons-2287256

[MenInG]

Covid-19 has led to cricket --- and IPL, one of its most marketable assets --- offering reduced prices for sponsorship. Three IPL franchises roped in replacement shirt sponsors at lower prices. Vivo’s exit as IPL title sponsors led to a substantial revenue shortfall for BCCI, the mobile phone company pulling out this year after military tension on the border between India and China in eastern Ladakh. And there are no takers yet for a new kit sponsorship deal for the India team.

Nike was India’s kit sponsor, the deal which expires in this month worth Rs 87 lakh per match. New kit sponsors had been invited at a reduced base price of R65 lakh per match but neither Adidas nor Puma, who picked up tender documents, placed a bid by September 1, the deadline. BCCI has till December, when India tour Australia, to find one.

IPL 2020 Full Coverage

Fantasy gaming company Dream 11 replaced Vivo at R 222 crore, the contract being 50% of what BCCI earned last year. At the time IPL chairman Brijesh Patel said: “In the given circumstances, we are happy with the deal. These rights are only for four months and only for this edition of the IPL.”

Dream 11 moving up the sponsorship ladder meant a vacant spot in the associate sponsorship space. Another IPL associate sponsor, Future Group, too moved away. The vacancies, said to be in the range of R40 crore each, have been filled by edu-tech platform Unacademy and fintech start-up Cred. “Well done bcci and team ..in spite of tuff markets ..,” Sourav Ganguly tweeted, the BCCI president tagging all eight IPL franchises.

Already burdened by the absence of gate receipts and a reduced share from the central revenue pool due to drop in the title rights’ value, franchises too have been forced to offer discounts to sponsors.

“On gate receipts, it has to be seen what model BCCI will come up with. Sponsorships have been difficult but luckily for us, given the fact that we have long-term deals, most of them have stayed on,” said Mohit Burman, co-owner of Kings XI Punjab.

A source connected with franchise-sponsorships deals said most companies have come on board with 20-25% reduction in pay for this year’s IPL, beginning in UAE on September 19. “Typically, the eight franchises are divided in two sets for principal sponsorships: the top two are Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, followed by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and then Royal Challengers Bangalore, due to Virat Kohli’s presence. They are in the range of R15-23 crore. The rest are all in R11-14 crore range, sometimes less,” said the source.

Daikin, who had signed as principal jersey sponsor for Delhi Capitals to boost air-conditioner sales for the event originally scheduled to start in March, dropped out when IPL got deferred. Co-owners JSW have picked up the sponsorship for a reduced price. Daikin’s deal was approximately worth R14 crore. “We at the JSW Group see this as a tremendous opportunity to step in as Principal Sponsor for the Delhi Capitals. There are few properties that garner the viewership of the IPL,” said Parth Jindal, chairman and co-owner of Delhi Capitals.

Rajasthan Royals too lost a bumper shirt deal. They had signed with Dubai Expo which got postponed. News network TV9 is said to have come in at a lower rate. The network has also booked space in KKR’s non-leading arm. “It serves both the parties well. From TV9’s point of view, going with IPL helps their image in the prevailing news market scenario. It takes a while to be No.1 in the Hindi news space and this will help in their quest. Between two franchises they will have visibility across 28 matches,” said Arshad Shawl, founder Alliance Advertising.

“From franchise’s perspective, tying up with a broadcast partner who promotes your team’s on and off-field activities 24/7 will save your marketing cost.”

KKR lost Byjus as principal sponsor and had to accept the replacement, gaming company Mobile Premier League, paying less. “KKR is able to rope in a lot of sponsors which are endorsed by their co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, Byjus being one of them. But with their competitors Unacademy coming in as IPL associate partners, they would have their name on the mat, mentioned by commentators. It’s understandable of Byjus to move out, not wanting to play second-fiddle,” said the source connected to franchise sponsorship deals.

Industry watchers though believe the drop in valuations are temporary. Franchises that suffered losses in the initial years too are willing to take a long-term view. “Undoubtedly, in the last few years we have seen a huge increase in central revenues and that certainly helps us, with the losses we have gone through in the initial years,” said Burman.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/crick...xe7S3ZyFO.html

[Slog]

Seems like Chinese brands are back with a full force in IPL this year. Last year BCCI and Indian fans didn’t want a Chinese brand to be headlining their flagship tournament but I guess Ladakh is way in the past now and the situation there has been accepted by Indian organizers and fan base.

Indian captain Kohli is also brand ambassador for Vivo now.

[Bilal7]

So much for #boycottChina.