Mumbai: The Cricket Board (BCCI) has decided to invite title sponsorship bids for its international and domestic matches for six months only as it expects to earn considerably more from 2015 when the new Future Tours Programme of the ICC kicks in.
"The new ICC FTP will commence in 2015 and with stronger teams touring India, I think we can double our title sponsorship earnings from the current level. That's why we have decided to invite bids for a six-month period only," said BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel today.
The BCCI has agreed for five-Test series against England and four-Test ones against Australia in future from 2015. Next season South Africa and England are set to tour India to play Tests, ODIs and T20 internationals.
"The Marketing Committee of BCCI met at Mumbai (today) to finalise the ITT (Invitation to Tender) for title sponsorship rights for BCCI's international and domestic matches for the period between September 2014 and April next year," Patel said in a statement released earlier in the day.
In this period, India will be playing three Tests, five one-dayers and one Twenty20 with the West Indies and it was learnt that the base price (for sponsorship rights) has been fixed at Rs 2 crore per match.
The sponsorship rights would extend to domestic tournaments such as Irani Cup, Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Vijay Hazare and Deodhar Trophy. The ITT will be available at BCCI headquarters in Mumbai from August 6 and the cost has been kept unchanged at Rs 2 lakh (for tender document).
The bids will be accepted until August 28, after which it will be opened, evaluated and the tender awarded in the presence of bidders.
Star India won the sponsorship rights for the last season by agreeing to pay Rs 2 crore per match for the period between October 2013 and March this year.
However, the bidding amount by Star was 39 per cent lower than what Bharti Airtel shelled out to win the rights in the previous season. Star had also won the broadcasting rights from BCCI till 2018, which they clinched in 2012.
