The Indian cricket team may be without a jersey sponsor at the Asia Cup following Dream11’s departure from its sponsorship agreement with the BCCI. The fantasy sports platform terminated its contract last month, leading the cricket board to begin the process of finding a new sponsor just days before the tournament’s commencement.
On September 2nd, the BCCI formally invited expressions of interest from potential sponsors. Interested parties must purchase the EOI document by September 12th, with final bids due on September 16th. The Asia Cup starts on September 9th and concludes on September 28th, making it challenging to finalize a new sponsorship before the tournament.
Dream11’s withdrawal followed an Indian government bill that regulated online gaming, restricting real-money gaming, which is integral to Dream11’s operations. Citing a clause within the contract permitting withdrawal in the event of such regulatory changes, the company notified the BCCI of its decision. The Dream11 contract was valued at approximately USD 44 million (INR 358 crore) and was meant to continue until 2026.
The BCCI has dealt with sponsor withdrawals previously. OPPO, a smartphone manufacturer, ended its contract early in 2019, while ed-tech company BYJU’S took over briefly before Dream11 became the sponsor in 2023.
The BCCI’s new invitation specifies that companies connected to alcohol, tobacco, gambling, betting, cryptocurrency, or any activities deemed offensive to public morals, including pornography, are prohibited from bidding.
The Indian cricket team is scheduled to travel to the UAE on September 4th, participating in group-stage matches against the UAE and Pakistan on September 10th and September 14th in Dubai, and then against Oman on September 19th in Abu Dhabi. India is in Group A, with Group B consisting of Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Four phase. The final will be contested by the top two teams from this round on September 28th.