MPL snatches Indian team apparel sponsorship rights with Rs 65 lakh per game deal

Bringing an end to months of deal-breaking and uncertainty, the BCCI has finally managed to find a bidder for the apparel rights of the Indian cricket team, albeit with a lower price than what they got in the previous four-year-deal from Nike. In 2016, Nike had signed a fresh five-year deal with the Board of Control for Cricket in India during which they paid Rs 370 crore from with a Rs 30 crore royalty.

"Yes, Apex Council has passed the sponsorship deal for the apparel of Indian team (men, women, A and U19). However the rate per match will be Rs 65 lakh per game instead of Rs 88 lakh that Nike was giving," a BCCI source told Sportstar.

It will be a deviation from the norm as Mobile Premier League (MPL) taking over the rights is a first in Indian cricket where a brand not associated with sporting apparel has owned the rights to Indian cricket’s jerseys across formats and across groups. 

"No sporting apparel major was ready to pay that kind of money that Nike paid in the current economic climate (due to COVID-19). One of the major reasons being merchandise items being very costly for the common public," the source added.

India’s tour of Australia will be the first for MPL to have their logo on the Indian jersey as the apparel sponsor with Byju’s being the primary sponsor of the team.