Dream11 selected as lead sponsor for Indian cricket team, replaces Byju's

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday officially named fantasy sports platform Dream11 as Team India’s lead sponsor. With this, Dream11 has replaced Byju's as the lead sponsor. The gaming platform penned down the deal with the world's richest cricket board for a period of three years for an undisclosed amount which is expected to be lesser than the previous deal. 

Byju's is currently in the middle of multiple challenges ranging from its top executives' resignations to employees row. Its contract with BCCI ended earlier this year in March. Byju's had an optional deal with the BCCI until November, but they decided to end the contract in March.  

Since then, Team India has been without a jersey sponsor and played without one in the recent World Test Championship final. 

Dream11 emerged as the sole serious contender in the sponsors’ race, with only two companies showing interest in picking up the tender document. 

Dream11’s logo will be there on Team India’s jerseys from the tour of the West Indies, which starts on July 12.  

“I congratulate Dream11 and welcome them on board again. From being BCCI’s official sponsor to now being the lead sponsor, the BCCI-Dream11 partnership has grown from strength to strength. It is a direct testament to the trust, value, potential and growth that Indian Cricket offers. As we prepare to host the ICC World Cup later this year, enhancing fan experience is among our top priorities and I am confident that this partnership will help us elevate the fan engagement experience,” BCCI President Roger Binny was quoted as saying in a media release. 

"At Dream11, we share our love for cricket with a billion Indian cricket fans, and it is a matter of pride and our privilege to become the lead sponsor for the National team. We look forward to continue supporting the Indian sports ecosystem," said Harsh Jain, Co-Founder & CEO, Dream Sports, parent company of Dream11 valued at over Rs 67,000 crore ($8 billion). 

In 2019, Byju's replaced Oppo as the sponsor of the national team and signed a deal for three years until 2022. The learning app extended its contract for another year till 2023.  

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