Indian cricket team have a new jersey sponsor in form of Oppo Mobiles India Private Limited. A Board of Control for Cricket in India release confirmed the same on Tuesday. The BCCI release said, “The mobile manufacturing giant OPPO’s association with BCCI will start from April 2017 for a period of five years.”
Star had been the team jersey sponsor for the last 4 years and their contract with the team is ending in March 2017. But Star India did not bid for the renewal of the contract citing lack of clarity in BCCI. Star India CEO Uday Shankar said that they have been a proud sponsor for the last 4 years. He said, “We have been very proud that our name is carried on the jersey of Team India. But given all the uncertainties, we have decided not to bid for it again. The commitments being asked for are too onerous without any clarity.”
It was speculated that the bid offered by Star was worth Rs 19.2 million per match for the bilateral series and Rs. 6.1 million per match for ICC sponsored tournaments.
This is a big catch by Oppo, who are currently a leading mobile manufacturing company in the country. Their logos will now be seen on Indian men’s and women’s team jerseys. India will be seen wearing the jerseys with Oppo written on their arms in the Champions Trophy in June as ICC does not allow sponsor names on the front of the jerseys in the ICC tournaments.