Tata Sons Emerge Strong Contenders For IPL 2020 Title Sponsorship

Tata Sons, who have never majorly been into cricket sponsorship, may run away with the title sponsorship of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. (More Cricket News)

According to well-placed sources, Tatas have bid for the IPL title sponsorship and given its desi image, are strong contenders ahead of four others who have also bid for the rights. A formal announcement will be made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on August 18.

IPL's title sponsorship for the 2020 season went up for grabs after Chinese mobile phone makers Vivo "mutually" withdrew this year given the 'Boycott China' mood due to the killing of 20 Indian soldiers by Chinese soldiers in Ladakh in June.

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Four of the five bidders are Indian companies. They are Tata Sons, education technology platform Unacademy, Jio and Patanjali. The only bidder with Chinese investments is online tutoring firm Byju's.

Sources say the 'deal' with Tata Sons have been struck. IPL will be Tata's first big association with cricket and it is a company that has strong brand equity and respect in the corporate world. Tatas have a team in the Indian Super League, sponsor tennis and wrestling and have one of the oldest football academies in Jamshedpur.

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Jio and Patanjali are also desi companies but sources say Jio really doesn't need IPL to promote itself and Patanjali doesn't have deep pockets to match Tatas. Byju's, who are already a sponsor of the Indian cricket team, may lose out due to their Chinese connect while Unacademy, who are already official partners of IPL, will be a long shot

It is not clear if a Tata Sons or Jio will match the money -- about 440 crores -- Vivo paid BCCI every season. But sources in the know of things say the title sponsorship can easily touch 300 crores or more.

Till early last week, BCCI was looking at a revenue of 250 crores from the IPL title sponsorship but suddenly the equations have changed after Tatas came in the limelight.