The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is working to secure a new title sponsor for its home cricket properties after concluding the initial bid window without an agreement, according to a report by Cricbuzz journalist Vijay Tagore. Google Gemini, Spinny and SBI Life are among the prospective partners in discussions, with the new package carrying a reserve price of ₹4.85 crore (approx. US$505K) for each chargeable match.
The rights are expected to extend through March 31, 2028, giving the eventual sponsor a two-year association with the BCCI’s home international programme and selected domestic competitions. India’s home season begins on September 27, providing the board with time to continue negotiations before the first international fixture covered by the package.
New rights cycle carries higher per-match price
The commercial proposition differs significantly from the cycle secured by IDFC First Bank in 2023. Its existing agreement carries a rate of ₹4.2 crore (approx. US$438K) per match, meaning the new ₹4.85 crore threshold represents an increase of approximately 15.5%.
That increase comes alongside a reduction in both the duration of the rights cycle and the anticipated inventory available to the sponsor. IDFC First Bank’s three-year agreement covered 55 internationals, while the new two-year offering is expected to include around 35 chargeable international fixtures — 10 Tests, 12 ODIs and 13 T20Is.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India said in its Invitation to Tender (ITT): “For tendering purposes only, and without constituting any representation, warranty, commitment or minimum guarantee by BCCI, BCCI presently expects that it may host approximately 35 (thirty-five) Chargeable Matches during the Rights Period, subject always to the final schedule determined by the BCCI in its sole and absolute.”
Applying the reserve rate to approximately 35 matches puts the potential base value of that international inventory at around ₹170 crore (approx. US$18M). Any agreement concluded above the minimum per-match threshold would increase the eventual value of the rights.
IDFC First Bank, by comparison, was required to pay approximately ₹231 crore (approx. US$24M) across the 55 internationals included in the previous cycle.
Sponsor negotiations follow initial bidding window
The BCCI had established August 13 as the submission deadline for the title-rights process. That stage concluded without the board securing an acceptable sponsorship agreement, opening the way for discussions with prospective corporate partners.
The tender itself attracted interest before the bid deadline. GroupM, ITW and Sporty Solutions were among the parties and agencies that purchased the ITT, which became available on July 20 for a non-refundable fee of ₹1 lakh (approx. US$1K). The final date for purchasing the document was August 5.
The title-rights inventory will begin with India’s home programme against the West Indies, starting September 27 and comprising three ODIs and five T20Is.
India will also play Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series before that home campaign, but those fixtures are designated as Afghanistan home matches. They are therefore not included within the BCCI title sponsorship inventory.
Associate Partner package adds second rights opportunity
The title sponsorship is one component of the BCCI’s wider commercial offering. The board has separately opened an Associate Partner Rights process for its cricket properties, creating another sponsorship category alongside the primary package.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India said in its Request for Quotation (RFQ) for Associate Partner Rights: “The reserve price for the Rights for each Chargeable Match during the Rights Period is as follows: INR 95,00,000 (Indian Rupees Ninety-Five Lakhs only) per Chargeable Match.”
That standard reserve translates to ₹95 lakh (approx. US$99K) for each chargeable match. A separate price applies when a prospective Associate Partner operates in the cold-beverage sector.
The BCCI added: “In the event that the Brand/Product Category of the Associate Partner is cold beverages, the reserve price shall instead be INR 1,15,00,000 (Indian Rupees One Crore Fifteen Lakhs only) per Chargeable Match.”
The cold-beverage threshold equates to ₹1.15 crore (approx. US$120K) per chargeable match. Quotations for the Associate Partner package are due by August 25.
Title deal will shape wider sponsorship portfolio
The two commercial processes are linked by category restrictions. The eventual Associate Partner cannot come from the same business sector as the title sponsor, meaning the BCCI must establish the primary partner before completing the composition of its Associate Partner portfolio.
That makes the unresolved title sponsorship the immediate priority within the new commercial cycle. With Google Gemini, Spinny and SBI Life among the potential partners in discussions and the first qualifying home international scheduled for September 27, the BCCI still has a window to conclude the primary rights agreement before the new home season begins.
