MUMBAI: Famed yoga expert ‘Baba’ Ramdev-promoted Patanjali Ayurved’s spokesperson SK Tijarawala has confirmed the firm was “considering” a bid for the title sponsorship of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL).
The slot for title sponsorship of IPL is now open after Chinese smartphone maker Vivo exited the deal, most definitely for this year, and in all probability, permanently.
The internet may have exploded with memes and jokes following the news, but if the Haridwar-based firm is really serious about making a pitch for the IPL title rights, and this is not some publicity stunt, then there is a clear value proposition in it. For there is no better vehicle than world cricket’s biggest annual property for any entity looking to make a big bang marketing statement that it is a “big league” industry player.
“We are considering the IPL title sponsorship for this year, since we want to give the Patanjali brand a global marketing platform,” Patanjali spokesperson SK Tijarawala told The Economic Times.
“This is for ‘vocal for local’ and making one Indian brand as global, this is the right platform. We are considering into that perspective,” Tijarawala told PTI, but…
But what? Tijarawala also added that the company is yet to take a final call on the issue. “We have to take a final decision, whether we would take it or not,” he clarified to the newswire.
As they say, “talk is cheap”. Especially when free publicity can be garnered from such talk. So SportzPower would prefer to await official confirmation.
Again but. As brand strategist Harish Bijoor pointed out to ET: “Patanjali as a title sponsor for IPL will do more for Patanjali than for IPL. While the caste hierarchy among brands could play out, Patanjali owning the title sponsorship would be contextual from a nationalist perspective, since there is an enormous anti-China sentiment prevailing in the country.”
Thus far, the names of brands like Jio (SportzPower does not believe any bid will be forthcoming here), Amazon, the Tata Group, Dream11, Adani Group and online education unicorn BYJU’S have been doing the rounds as potential bidders.
Vivo had agreed to pay Rs 4.4 billion a year under the five-year sponsorship deal signed in 2018. The BCCI has offered discounts of as much as 50% to potential title rights holders, ET has reported. The BCCI might earn a maximum of Rs 3 billion from a new sponsor, Moneycontrol reported on August 5.
This year’s IPL will be played in the UAE from September 19 to November 10.
