Vivo has pulled out as the title sponsor for IPL 2022 and it is reported that Tata might be the title sponsor of the tournament.
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In a massive development before the IPL 2022, Chinese Mobile firm manufacturer Vivo has pulled out as the title sponsor. In a report by Cricbuzz.com, IPL chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed that Vivo was out. The new title sponsors for IPL 2022 will be Tata and the 2022 tournament will be called Tata IPL. This development comes on the sidelines of the Letter of Intent issued to CVC Capital, the firm that owns Ahmedabad IPL team.
Vivo was roped in as the title sponsor of the IPL for five years from 2018 to 2022. The title rights cost Rs 440 from the 2018 season. However, Vivo paused the title sponsorship for the 2020 tournament due to the increase in India-China hostilities. In July of 2020, tensions between India and China escalated over the Galwan issue. Several Indian Army soldiers were killed by Chinese troops. In the wake of the issue, the Indian government banned many Chinese apps and entities under the IT Act. There was pressure even on the BCCI to terminate Vivo’s contract as the title sponsor.
When Vivo’s contract was suspended in 2020, the BCCI announced that Dream 11 would be the title sponsor. Vivo came back on board in 2021. Since the deal was suspended in 2020, the extension to Vivo’s contract as title sponsor was extended to 2023.
Read – IPL Mega Auction to take place on February 12,13 in Bangalore
However, with the month to go for the mega-auction, the BCCI has decided to terminate the contract of Vivo and rope in Tata. Thus, they will now be the title sponsors for the 2022 and 2023 seasons of the IPL. An extension might be decided at a later date.
Already, even before the IPL 2022 begins, there have been plenty of developments. Ahmedabad’s IPL participation was in doubt after the BCCI raised a concern of CVC Capital having off-shore betting sites. But, since that has been solved, the Letter of Intent has been given to CVC Capitals which indicates a green signal for Ahmedabad to participate. The Lucknow franchise, on the other hand, has no problems as it is acquired by the RP Sanjiv Goenka group, the same entity that owned Rising Pune Supergiant in IPL 2016 and 2017.
There is an air of uncertainty about the mega-auction. Due to the rising coronavirus cases in India, the chances of the mega-auction being held in February 12 and 13 are negligible in Bangalore. But, the BCCI has made no formal announcement of a change in venue for the event. IPL 2022 will see 10 teams in action and already, there is huge anticipation over what the Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchises will do.
