The IPL, an invention of the BCCI Board of Control for Cricket in India in 2008, perfectly represents the interrelation of sport, entertainment, and business. It makes Indian cricket very innovative, with the action in the matches being high-octane and an ultimate glitz presentation. Besides providing a huge platform to the brands, millions are taken on the board. Title sponsorships of IPL, in particular, have become a high-profile opportunity for companies aiming to increase their brand visibility in reaching diverse audiences.

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The range and dynamics of title sponsorships have changed tremendously from its early years to date, and they are in line with the league’s rising stature and international appeal. This article traces the history of IPL title sponsorships and explains the trends and implications of such deals on sports and the business world.
IPL sponsorship mirrors the rapid growth of the fan base as well as its financial muscle. From its humble beginnings, where the league’s potential was still being tested, to its eventual billion-dollar sporting spectacle that it has become today, the fees paid by title sponsors have much to say about escalating brand valuation and strategic corporate collaborations. In the above text, we have attempted to elaborate on the course of the deals, the sponsors’ strategic goals, and how remarkably IPL (Indian Premier League) turned into a commercial enterprise across the years.
Table of Contents
S. No. | IPL Title Sponsors fees over the period |
1. | DLF (2008–2012) |
2. | PepsiCo (2013–2015) |
3. | Vivo (2016-2017, 2018-2019) |
4. | Dream11 (2020) |
5. | Vivo’s Return (2021) |
6. | Tata Group (2022–2023) |
7. | Indian Premier League 2025 |
8. | Trend Analysis in Sponsorship Fees |
9. | Financial and Branding Impact |
10. | Conclusion |
1. DLF (2008–2012)

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DLF has been the title sponsor of IPL and paid INR 200 crores for that five-year sponsorship deal, which amounts to Rs 40 crore as an average price per season. A considerable amount at that time laid the IPL foundation and ensured it was the most significant commercial product. Through the association, DLF can advance its brand visibility among Indians and others around the globe.
Key Take-Aways from the Deal
- The deal made DLF a household name during the infancy of IPL.
- Investment in the game became a bold call, given that the tournament’s first year was uncertain.
- This period of success of IPL created space for future sponsors to realize that it had all the marketing opportunities.
DL was its sponsor, but this gave the league the much-needed money and the precedence of how IPL could be a mass engagement tool for brands. It was one of the initial investments in the league that had barely taken its baby steps as IPL gained unprecedented popularity among viewers and advertisers overnight.
2. PepsiCo (2013–2015)

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In 2013, PepsiCo replaced DLF as the title sponsor by securing the rights for INR 396 crore for five years, averaging INR 79.2 crore per season. However, PepsiCo ended its association prematurely in 2015, following controversies involving spot-fixing scandals and the perception of brand mismatch.
Key Highlights of the Deal:
- Pepsi’s sponsorship reflected IPL’s growing value as a marketing platform.
- The annual fee almost doubled from the previous sponsor’s agreement.
- Pepsi leveraged IPL to promote soft drinks among cricket-loving youth.
Pepsi wanted to acquire market share through IPL since it is a leading beverage brand in India. The company has launched several ads with IPL. It was about the innovative branding of cricket with youth appeal.
Why Pepsi Left Early:
- The poor image of IPL in the spot-fixing scandal led Pepsi to quit early.
- The judgment brought in the aspect of reputation and ethics in the brand association.
Though it exited early, the sponsorship of PepsiCo established how IPL can magnify a brand’s voice and consumer interface through high-decibel visibility and marketing.
3. Vivo (2016-2017, 2018-2019)

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Vivo is an all-Chinese brand that came on board after PepsiCo’s exit. Vivo signed a two-year contract with BCCI from 2016 to 2017 for Rs 100 crores per annum, amounting to Rs 200 crores. Then, Vivo furthered their commitment by signing for five years, 2018–2022, in an INR 2,199 crores contract, which would mean Rs 440 crores a season.
In Brief:
- The deal indicates that IPL is gaining more and more financial value.
- Vivo bought the Indian smartphone market, where cricket is unmatched in popularity through IPL.
- The five-year deal was a giant leap in terms of sponsorship fees, signifying the considerable growth of the league.
Vivo’s brand sponsorship was a marketing masterstroke as the brand used IPL’s enormous reach to strengthen its position in the highly competitive Indian smartphone market. It became synonymous with cricket and entertainment during IPL seasons through event branding, merchandise promotions, and targeted advertisements.
Problems:
- It withdrew its sponsorship from Vivo during the 2020 season when tensions between India and China hit a new peak.
- This is an example of how the interest of a sports franchise can sometimes be outmaneuvered by geo-political agenda.
Vivo’s association with IPL is a testimony to how a high-technology brand uses the marketing vehicle of sports to get quick branding and connect with consumers.
4. Dream11 (2020)

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The year 2020 was the most challenging year for IPL since it was shifted to the UAE due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Vivo pulled out and opened doors for the fantasy sports website Dream11. Dream11 came up with a one-year INR 222-crore sponsorship deal.
Some key takeaways of the deal
The deal showed the iron-clad might of IPL that can capture such massive sponsorship when the world is facing a crisis.
- Dream11 rapidly became popular amongst cricket enthusiasts, increasing users to an extent.
- The Pandemic proved a turning point for the online domains, which was trying to harness the potential of IPL.
The Association of Dream11 with IPL has shown that due to the Pandemic, people have changed their preferences for digital spaces. The Brand was using the IPL fan base and the fantasy of cricket and digital engagement for promotions and was standing atop the sports-tech space.
5. Vivo’s Return (2021)

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The company returned as a title sponsor in 2021 through its five-year deal, but the brand continued to attract geopolitical concerns, leading to an exit from the sponsorship early in 2022. This was the transition phase of IPL title sponsorships.
Important Points
- The intermittent presence of Vivo was one example of the challenges brands were exposed to while navigating public sentiment and geopolitical dynamics.
- IPL was a lucrative asset for international and domestic brands even under uncertainty.
The comeback and going out of the brand have depicted how fragile the sponsorship deal was and how external forces, public opinion, and international politics can destroy all the structures.
6. Tata Group (2022–2024)

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Tata Group is an Indian multinational company that signed up as the headline sponsor for IPL in 2022. The particular arrangement is for two years and costs INR 670 crore. Hence, on average, it comes to INR 335 crore per season.
Key Takeaways from the Agreement:
- It made the association of Tata with IPL a legacy and maintained trust in the league’s brand.
- The deal ensured the financial strength of IPL even in the absence of Vivo.
- The IPL seasons 2023 and 2024 have solidified Tata’s association with cricket, further enhancing its diverse portfolio of cars, steel, technology, and many more.
The Tata Group deal was a new chapter in the history of the IPL, as this gave the league much-needed credibility and pride for India. This was also visible in how easily the legacy corporate houses could be aligned with the new youth-oriented platforms.
7. Indian Premier League 2025

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The Tata Group had emerged as a front-runner earlier. It, however, outbid Disney-Star Sports of India for rights from 2024 to 2028-a record ₹2,500 crores for a five-year contract. Such a deal talks of the sheer commercial value of IPL and the serious commitment of Tata Group towards this cause of cricket in India. According to the BCCI, the first time such an investment has been made is the great value and power of the global IPL. The Tata Group has bagged the title sponsorship of IPL for 2022.
Besides title sponsorship, there are some other major partners for the IPL for the 2025 edition:
- Associate Partners: My11Circle, Angel One, and RuPay.
- Star Sports. – Broadcast Partner
- Jio Cinema. – Official Digital Streaming Partner
- CEAT. – Strategic Timeout Partner
- Wonder Cement. – Official Umpire Partner
This association is also very crucial to the league in scaling its reach and amplification and allows fans all coverage and all possibilities of engagement.
8. Trend Analysis in Sponsorship Fees
Explosive Growth:
No other league or sport has had such a steep rise since 2008, which shows how much the league has popularised and commercialized it. It is phenomenal; the hike was from INR 40 cr per season with DLF to INR 440 cr per season with Vivo in their second stint. Hike has made IPL a leading sports property in the world.
How External Factors Have Influenced IPL
The COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions brought another level of complexity to the terms of sponsorship. This factor even influenced the terms of the deal for some time. Dream11 and Vivo are good cases in this context.
Sponsor List
Diverse real estate companies, FMCG giants, smartphone manufacturing companies, fantasy sports platforms, and industrial conglomerates were the title sponsors of the IPL. The diversified list is well expressed here, and its appeal is vividly described.
Tech Intros
Vivo and Dream11 brands joining forces can be owed to the Indian audience’s affinity towards more tech-based companies that use IPL as an entry point to highly digitally aware audiences. The more digitally consumed products or services will be the number of technologically savvy brands entering the fray of IPL.
9. Financial and Branding Impact
For Sponsors:
- Brand awareness: TV broadcasts and internet streaming expose the sponsors to a great extent, as well as ground-based advertisements.
- Market penetration: Brands utilize the mammoth viewership of IPL and target the niche.
- Revenue Growth: The sales and user acquisition most commonly cited for the sponsors are associated with the game of IPL.
IPL:
- Financial Security: Highly prized sponsorship deals extensively contribute to the league’s income generation.
- Global Reach: The big-ticket sponsorship makes IPL one of the most valued sports assets.
- Audience Interactivity: Effective partnerships make the experience rich for audiences to view.
Conclusion
The journey of IPL title sponsorship is fascinating, showing the path of innovation, change, and struggle in sports marketing. It would be wrong to say that from the very start, sponsorship by DLF when the league was still in its infancy, and even today, with Tata, every title sponsor has carved an indestructible niche in IPL history. That is not some usual deal or financial tie but the burgeoning commercial appeal of IPL and, by implication, the potent connection it forms between brands and cricket enthusiasts.
It further opens the gate of gold toward the sponsors by placing their brands higher and giving a window to enter newer customer markets, besides tapping the unmatched enthusiasm of followers of cricketing. These are the bases for sustainable financial growth for the IPL, so this league will sustain its top-of-the-line places among international cricket leagues.
The title sponsorship fee kept soaring high with each step forward, affecting the fees about the stature and popularity of IPL worldwide, hence this phenomenon of the proportions of the globe. This association between the brands and IPL reflects visions, ambitions, and timeless charms of cricket-bashing since it would stand the test of time as the most enduring legacy in this world of games and business.
Future End
IPL is headed for better monetary prosperity. The more viewership and digital engagement that come with it, the more international interest will grow, ensuring that sponsors would pay the price to sponsor. Newer sectors, such as fintech, gaming, and e-commerce, will likely be at the top in title sponsorships, and they are looking forward to taking advantage of the IPT platform to build their market.
This further points to a future of globalized sponsorship agreements with international players involved in the IPL market as the tournament goes out to an audience that has transcended borders beyond India.
FAQs
1. When will play IPL 2025?
India will host the 18th IPL from March 14-25, 2025.
2. How many IPL matches will be played in 2025?
BCCI has confirmed 74 and 84 matches for 2025 and 2026, respectively.
3. IPL 2025, whose telecast and digital rights?
Star Sports, which holds on telly but wholly in the digital channel, got Jio Cinema rights for every media
4. Who plays IPL 2025?
They have also retained all the ten teams that played in the recently concluded season. From them, some teams are like Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and Bangalore Royal Challengers.
5. How much money purse can one win in the IPL 2025?
There is little knowledge about the purse amount for the season 2025, but it will surely be Goliath, as the brand value of the league was $12 billion in 2024.