Oppo-BCCI contract: The clash of brands

While Oppo’s Team India jersey sponsorship may mean big money for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), it opens a spate of endorsement-related issues for the players and their managers. The most obvious of course is captain Virat Kohli, who endorses Gionee, and will be seen sporting a competing brand on his jersey on field. 

Experts however feel that for the viewers, it does not matter who is wearing which logo when and why. “There are only so many cricketers who are bankable as endorsers and only so many brands will to fork out the kind of money required for cricket sponsorships. So there will be some overlap, and the individual contracts take cognisance of this scenario,” says a brand manager who works with cricket endorsers. He also points out that with team sponsorships, the entire team is wearing a uniform and no one brand on one particular player stands out. “However, if like Star, Oppo intends to use Team India players for brand campaigns, then by all logic, Kohli should not be available to do so; otherwise, there could be some serious conflict of interest. It would also result in loss of credibility for Kohli’s brand since he would be seen endorsing competing brand,” he adds.

Sources clarify that personal endorsements have been protected under the new Oppo-BCCI contract. “Virat’s personal endorsement deal with Gionee is safe and the two will not clash,” assures a source close to the cricketer. 

In 2002, the participation of top Indian players was doubtful at the Champions Trophy because of sponsorship conflicts between personal endorsement deals, and the sponsors/commercial partners of the International Cricket Council. This was, however, resolved after the brand and the organising committee sat across the table and sorted out the pain-points on both sides.

Other instances where team and personal sponsorships collided:

* In 2011-12, M S Dhoni, who was at the peak of his endorsement career, endorsed telecom brand Aircel. However, the Team India jersey sponsorship at that time rested with Airtel, a competing telecom player, forcing Dhoni to sport Airtel on his jersey in the press on multiple occasions 

* Reebok, too, faced a similar situation. While Dhoni endorsed the brand in commercials, he was seen sporting kit sponsor Nike’s kit bags during practice sessions and matches 

* Rohit Sharma in 2013 signed a two-year bat-sponsorship deal with Adidas. This time as well, Nike was the kit sponsor for the team. So while on field Sharma was seen with Adidas on his bat front, his kit sported the Nike logo 

* While he endorsed Pepsi personally, Virender Sehwag, back when he was part of the Delhi Daredevils, appeared in print ads for arch-rival Coke 

* Internationally, swimmer Michael Phelps has sported Nike on his attire as the company was a sponsor for the US Olympics team. Personally, Phelps endorses a Under Armour