After a host of sponsorship deals for the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the first two seasons, sports marketing experts are now eyeing additional advertising revenue to the tune of Rs 280 crore for the eight teams. This may be possible from selling various yet-to-be sold spots on the jersey and gears worn by the IPL players including on chest, back, helmet, non-leading arms and trousers, among others.
According to sports marketing agencies, the advertising space on helmets are being negotiated for Rs 2 crore-Rs 2.5 crore while those on the chest and back are more lucrative?Rs 12-14 crore for chest and Rs 7-8 crore for back of the jersey. ?There are several interested sponsors for helmets, chest, back and the non-leading arms of the players. Each team can generate Rs 30-35 crore in additional sponsorships if they can manage to get into sponsorship agreements with advertisers,? said sports marketing expert Indranil Das Blah, whose sports firm Kwan is working with five teams playing the IPL.
Sources said advertisers are in close talks with Delhi Daredevils, Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings XI, among others. At least half-dozen sponsors representing categories including beverage, processed food, electronics, durables, writing instruments, garment manufacturers and others that are trying to get on to the IPL brand wagon.
?Yes we are in negotiations with a couple of IPL teams to take spots on the non-leading arms of the IPL players,? said an executive of a major electronics brand on condition of anonymity.
But time is running out for the teams as there are only 40 days to go for the third-leg of the cash-rich Twenty20 cricket extravaganza promoted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The IPL III kicks off from March 12 and will go on for 45 days.
?There are a host of companies with limited advertising budgets who want to get in to the IPL phenomenon. The best bet for them is to strike deals with the franchisee teams and that is what is happening now,? said a senior brand manager of an Internet portal whose company is also looking at an IPL association. These new possible advertising opportunities are in addition to the existing list of 6-10 advertisers that the eight IPL teams have got in categories like title sponsors, team sponsors, beverage partners, official chewing gums, among others.
?Some team-sponsorship deals are also up for grabs as the existing sponsor does not wish to renew ties,? said Blah.
Overall, the IPL brand has managed to sell all possible categories of sponsorship opportunities to various brands since its launch in 2008. While real estate major DLF got the title sponsorship for five IPLs for an annual outgo of around $10 million (around Rs 50 crore at 2008 prices), Kingfisher Airlines is the official umpire sponsors for Rs 106 crore for the 10-year period. SET Max is the official broadcaster for the series shelling out over Rs 8,200 crore over next a 10-year period.