BCCI invites expression of interest for IPL 2020 title sponsors

New Delhi, Aug 10: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday invited third parties to express their interest in acquiring the title sponsorship rights for the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to be held in United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 19 to November 10.

The last date of submitting the expression of interest (EOI) is August 14, a statement from IPL said.

The final bid should be sent to BCCI on August 18.

"Each EOI must be delivered by email to the following address: [e-mail] with the following subject line "EOI for Title Sponsor for IPL 2020" and must be received by 5.00pm IST on August 14, 2020," the statement read.

"Any EOIs received after this deadline will not be considered unless BCCI decides otherwise at its sole discretion."

"Post-delivery of the EOI, BCCI shall inform the Rights, product categories and entitlements to the interested third parties. The final bid should be sent to [e-mail] between 11 am and 1 pm on August 18, 2020. The above time schedule is subject to revision by BCCI at its sole discretion."

The BCCI, last week, had decided to officially announce the suspension of the partnership with title sponsors Vivo. The move came after the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council were both criticised for retaining Vivo as the title sponsor amid the raging anti-China sentiment.

"The Rights are available for the period from August 18, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Details regarding the Rights and product categories in which the Rights are available will be provided only to parties who submit the EOI and are found eligible," the statement said.

"The turnover of the interested third party must be over Rs 300 crore as per the last audited accounts."

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had stated that Vivo's exit as title sponsor shouldn't be seen as a financial crisis.

"I wouldn't call it a financial crisis," Ganguly said while speaking during a webinar organised by Learnflix, as per ESPNCricinfo.

"It's just a little bit of a blip. And the only way you can do it is by being professionally strong over a period of time.