IPL 2021 Auction to go without a sponsor?

It seems that BCCI who is known as the world’s richest cricketing board is going onboard without a title sponsor for the world’s biggest cricket league, Indian Premier League (IPL) as the contract between IPL and their previous edition’s title sponsor Dream11 ended on 31st December with a very less chance of renewing of the deal with them. Also, IPL’s official website or any other IPL press release cannot be seen carrying the Dream11 name or logo anymore.

“Tender for the new title sponsor is the only feasible option currently available. The IPL 2020 deal was almost half, and we can’t continue with the same. Going back to VIVO also is highly unlikely in the current situation. The final decision on the new tender and title sponsor will be taken soon”, stated one of the BCCI officials, as per the reports.

Interestingly, the BCCI had to suspend its ₹440 crores per year deal with the Chinese smartphone giant – VIVO due to the anti-China sentiments across the country after the India-China fight at the Galwan Valley, where 20 Indian soldiers were martyred in June. After Vivo’s fallout, Dream11 finalized the deal where they secured ₹222 crores to be the title sponsors for the IPL 2020, which is almost half of the original deal.

In the deal with Dream11, they demanded that the rights should automatically be given for the next two years if VIVO pulls out in 2021 and 2022 editions as well. Also, Dream11 offered ₹240 crores for both, IPL 2021 and IPL 2022, only if VIVO opts out. However, BCCI denied the negotiations, thus finalizing the deal with Dream11 for just one year.

Moreover, with just three weeks left for the IPL 2021 mini-auction, as the BCCI announces that the auction will be held on 18th February, it will be an interesting aspect to see BCCI manages to get a sponsor for the upcoming IPL. But as of now, BCCI has three options – renegotiate the Deal with Dream11, or go back to VIVO or release a new tender.

Thus, BCCI will make all the guns blazing to get a new sponsor before the IPL 2021 auction as it is a televised event where the title sponsor gets huge space. But as of now, as things stand, IPL 2021 mini-auction will likely go ahead without a title sponsor.