The Hindu Business Line : Champions Trophy: ICC's plan to shift venue shocks sponsors

THE International Cricket Council's warning that it may shift the venue of the Champions Trophy (to be held in 2006) from India to Pakistan has sent sponsors into a tizzy.

Incidentally, the official global partners for all ICC events till 2007 are based in India and include LG Electronics, Pepsi, Hutchison and Hero Honda.

"It would not be fair to the sponsors, who are largely based in India, to shift the venue. Though we have not yet registered an official protest, we have conveyed our views on the matter to the ICC. It's after a long period, approximately 10 years, that a multi-nation tournament was to happen in India," said Mr Salil Kapoor, Head - Marketing, LG Electronics India.

Though it is not known how much individual sponsors had shelled out for endorsing ICC events, corporates sponsoring ICC events had pledged $550 million for three Champions Trophy and two World Cup events till 2007.

It is estimated that almost $280 million of the ICC's entire sponsorship amount of $550 million has come from India-specific companies.

Hero Honda officials said they were hopeful that the matter would be resolved soon. "We are confident that the issue will be resolved to the satisfaction of all, including the sponsors," said Mr Atul Sobti, Executive Director (Business Operations), Hero Honda Motors.

Industry insiders, however, add that the ICC may have only issued the warning as a "pressure tactic" in order to get the tax exemptions it had requested, and that it was highly unlikely that the venue would actually be shifted.

Mr Ehsan Mani, President of the ICC, had earlier in the week said that the council's executive board had voted to move the event to Pakistan if tax clearance from India does not come along.

While the Indian Government is yet to give its opinion on the ICC's request for hundred per cent tax exemption for the money earned through the Champions Trophy, Pakistan has stepped in to stake its claim to host the high-profile cricket tournament.

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