Fantasy sports platform Dream11 have made a three-year winning bid to bag the title sponsorship rights for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). “Dream 11 has won the title sponsorship for Rs.222 crore,” IPL chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed on Tuesday.
On August 10, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had invited third parties to express their interest (EOI) in acquiring the title sponsorship rights for IPL 2020, after Vivo India exited amid brewing tension between India and China over the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Interestingly, even Dream11 has a solid China connection as one of the major investors Tencent Holdings is a Chinese tech giant.
Should Vivo India return next year, Dream11 will have to make way. If not, then Dream11 will continue to hold the title sponsorship right till 2022 edition.
“The Rights are available for the period from August 18, 2020, to December 31, 2020. Details regarding the Rights and product categories in which the Rights are available will be provided only to parties who submit the EOI and are found eligible,” the BCCI had said in an official statement.
The board had said that the turnover of the interested third party must be over Rs.300 crore as per the last audited accounts.
The 13th edition of the T20 tournament will be staged at three venues (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah) from September 19 to November 10 in the UAE.
Moreover, both the afternoon and evening matches will be played half-an-hour earlier than usual.
“IPL 2020 will be played from September 19 and the final will be played on November 10, 2020. The 53-day tournament will witness 10-afternoon matches starting at 15:30 IST while the evening matches will start at 19:30 IST,” the BCCI release had stated.
