The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has increased the reserve prices for its title sponsorship and associate partner rights as it opens the bidding process for the next commercial cycle, signalling confidence in the long-term value of Indian cricket’s sponsorship ecosystem.
According to a report by The Economic Times, the reserve price for the title sponsorship has been raised by over 15%to ₹4.9 crore per match, up from the ₹4.2 crore per match paid by incumbent sponsor IDFC First Bank. Meanwhile, the base price for associate partner rights has increased to ₹95 lakh per match, compared to ₹82 lakh in the previous cycle.
The upcoming title sponsorship agreement will run until March 2028 and is expected to cover approximately 35 international matches, taking the estimated value of the deal to nearly ₹170 crore at the reserve price. The reserve price for each associate sponsorship slot has been set at ₹33.3 crore.
BCCI recently invited bids for the title sponsorship rights, with submissions closing on August 13, while bids for associate partner rights will be accepted until August 25.
The shorter sponsorship cycle aligns with the expiry of several other key BCCI commercial partnerships, including those with Adidas and Apollo Tyres, enabling the board to synchronise future commercial rights.
The revised pricing comes amid changing advertiser preferences, with brands increasingly favouring T20 cricket over bilateral Test and ODI series. However, industry experts believe competitive bidding will remain crucial in determining the final valuation.
According to WPP Media’s Sporting Nation report, India’s sports sponsorship market reached ₹7,942 crore in 2025, with cricket accounting for 89% of the total sponsorship spend, reinforcing the sport’s dominance in the country’s marketing landscape.
