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Our Bureau

Chennai, Nov. 27

The Board of Control for Cricket in India will meet on December 2 to decide on the next step on the team sponsorship issue.

It had floated a global tender, whose last date was November 24, inviting sponsors for the Indian cricket team for the next four years. The tenure of the present sponsor, Sahara, ends on December 31. The BCCI had priced the tender documents at a non-refundable and non-adjustable amount of Rs 5 lakh each. The documents were made available from November 2 and the bids were to be submitted by November 24 evening.

The advertisement calling for the bids was for appointment of “one or more companies of good repute” to sponsor the men's team, women's team, Under-19 team and India A team. The bidder could bid individually for each of these teams or for all the teams together.

According to reliable sources, not a single bid document was sold, which, in itself, was a major disappointment for the cricket control body as it had expected a good response. The sponsorship was to run from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2013.

About 240 matches are to be played during this period, with the men's cricket team being the major attraction for sponsors. Reliable sources indicated that the base price had been increased from Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore a match, which advertisers considered too stiff and decided to stay away.

The sources said that the more common sense approach would have been to let the advertisers quote and then decide on the issue. Sahara India's sponsorship between 2005 and 2009 was for about Rs 310 crore, they said.

Cricket administrators are convinced that the game continues to be popular and a sure match-winner for advertisers. The issue was that there were too many competing events – Indian Premier League, the third edition of which will be played early next year; T20 Champions League; and the test and one-day matches. The administrators believe that the BCCI sponsorship is more important than sponsoring any of the individual events. One of the options being considered by BCCI is to temporarily extend Sahara India's sponsorship, at a negotiated price till the bid issue is settled. The BCCI could also consider inviting bids afresh.

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