India
Expo 2020 Dubai upgrades to shirt sponsor at Mumbai City FC
Indian football club Mumbai City has expanded its deal with Expo 2020 Dubai to a global sponsorship contract
Athletics Federation of India signs three-year commercial deal with IOS agency
The Athletics Federation of India has agreed a three-year deal with the IOS Sports and Entertainment agency to seek out sponsors and commercial deals for the body on the back of its landmark success at…
Puma and Royal Challengers to release ‘athleisure’ range
Sportswear firm Puma and Indian Premier League cricket team Royal Challengers Bangalore are releasing a range of 'athleisure' clothes
NBA appoints Ranveer Singh as ambassador
The NBA has appointed Bollywood star Ranveer Singh as a brand ambassador in India
Hyperice adds Virat Kohli as latest investor
India cricket captain Virat Kohli has agreed a deal to become an investor and brand ambassador for athlete recovery technology brand Hyperice
Odisha extends Indian hockey sponsorship to 2033
The Indian state of Odisha has agreed a deal to sponsor the men’s and women’s national hockey teams for an additional 10 years after its current deal ends in 2023.
India’s Rise Worldwide agency signs Kishan in talent push
Sports marketing company Rise Worldwide has signed up Indian international cricketer Ishan Kishan as the recently-rebranded group grows its catalogue of cricket stars
Indian Olympic Association granted $1.35m by BCCI after dropping sponsor Li Ning
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has offered Rs10 crore ($1.35m/€1.1
Restart India – Lifebuoy & Royal Challengers Bangalore
As India began reopening from its first national lockdown in late October 2020, soap brand Lifebuoy leveraged its partnership with IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore to promote habits like wearing a mask, social distancing and maintaining proper hand hygiene.
India ‘drops’ Chinese kit sponsor Li Ning for Tokyo 2020
The Indian Olympic Association has dropped Chinese sportswear maker Li Ning as its official kit partner after a public backlash in the country
W88 targets growth in cricket with Brian Lara deal
Asian betting and gambling firm W88 has agreed a multi-year endorsement deal with former West Indies cricket star Brian Lara
Dream11 GIPHY Channel – Dream 11 & the BCCI
Dream11's wide-ranging activation program for 2020, its first year as IPL title sponsor, included a GIPHY Channel strand that gave locked-down Indian cricket fans a library of social meme fuel.
Midea Home Challenge – Midea & Manchester City FC
With fans stuck at home during Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020, Midea ran a three-month social media engagement campaign that saw Man City players and legends encourage fans to take part in a series of at-home skills challenges.
Match Day Mania – Swiggy & the BCCI
Swiggy’s IPL 2020 activation spanned national and regional television, digital and social with humorous content reinforcing its brand benefits of convenience and simplicity.
Cracking the Game – Unacademy & the BCCI
Edtech startup Unacademy leveraged its IPL 2020 partnership – including title rights to the ‘Unacademy Fan of the Match’ and the ‘Unacademy Cracking Sixes’ – to target potential and current students aged 14 to 32.
Match Ball Delivery – DHL & the All India Football Federation
The centrepiece of DHL’s Hero Indian Super League activation during the pandemic-affected 2020-21 season saw the international logistics brand deliver the match ball to every game via drone to minimise unnecessary contact.
Unreal Fans of Kashmir – Adidas & Real Kashmir FC
Through India’s 2019-20 I-League season, Real Kashmir FC and kit partner Adidas rolled out an influencer-led campaign to boost second team support for the club (which had to play all its matches away from home due to security issues in Kashmir).
Google and Disney Plus Hotstar agree IPL ‘web stories’ deal
Internet search giant Google will show Indian Premier League match highlights this year via its Web Stories feature under a tie-up with Indian media group Disney Plus Hotstar