How Red Bull is giving wings to university level cricketers with their RBCC tournament

The Red Bull brand name is known to sell energy drinks across the globe. Their marketing and public relations team work day in and day out to make sure that the sales are up. Not to forget, the incredible supply chain which they have built. However, this piece is not about how Red Bull is great and how they have launched a limited-edition drink, it is about how they have a seriously different approach to sports. 

In the past decade or so, sporting athletes have become the hottest and fittest marketable entity. Brands jump over the opportunity to use their image and persona to sell their products. But, Red Bull takes a different route. Instead of putting up thousands of billboards across the cities with your favourite cricketers, (which they are capable of doing every day of the week), the brand understands the importance of nurturing talents and ensures a platform for youngsters. 

What is Red Bull Campus Cricket? 

In 2012, the brand launched the Red Bull Campus Cricket, which was one of a kind tournament that gave a platform to young university-level cricketers. With four cities and 16 teams, the brand started something which in ten years has become bigger and better. In 2021, the tournament saw 450 teams participate from 32 cities in just India itself. Just India, because there is more to it. 

The tournament which is played entirely in the T20 format is not something that the brand does only for the Indian cricket culture. It has expanded into countries such as South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and some others. Each year, the college teams which win their country’s tournament get an opportunity to go and represent their nation in the international finals. 

Now, the bigger issue which Red Bull potentially faced at the beginning was finding relevance with the tournament. However, they can pat themselves on the back after they successfully hosted the 10th edition of the India national finals in Chandigarh recently from October 18-22. Why? Because on the way to the 10th edition, they have not only managed to tap into the cricketing space, which desperately needed an upliftment but also unearthed future stars. 

Creating arguably the best university-level cricket tournament in India

The tournament, during its run, has seen players like Shardul Thakur, Siddhesh Lad, KL Rahul, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shahrukh Khan, Shivam Dube and many more. In the international space, players like Niroshan Dickwella, Chirag Suri, Aiden Markram and Lungi Ngidi have also taken part. Red Bull in no way wants to pretend that they made these players stars or something, but the attempt is to provide support to players at the grassroots level of cricket. Why? because the upliftment can be given to only those who really need it. 

This is exactly where the university level and the culture around the country comes into the picture. The head coach of TKR College of Hyderabad, Johnson sir, who has been looking over the grassroots level cricket since 2002, explained how Red Bull’s tournament has given a strong sense of opportunity to cricket at the university level.

“In the early 2000s, we had lots of university tournaments. However, they dried down by the end of that decade. When Red Bull launched the RBCC tournament, we felt that finally there is a stage where our kids get a chance to play good quality cricket. Even if some of them don’t play cricket after this, the tournament helps them to check whether they belong to this stage or not.

“Now almost every college in India looks at this tournament as the premier event every year and wants to do well on this stage. It is by far the best university-level tournament in the country,” coach Johnson said. 

Providing high-class facilities to talent and giving them a platform

Coach Sanjay from the New LJ College of Ahmedabad explained how the tournament helped him become a better coach and understand the importance of T20 cricket. “Earlier I would encourage kids to focus on one facet. But this tournament made me understand the importance of all-rounders in T20. Now, everyone in my XI has the ability to do a bit of both if required.

“They know how to reverse sweep and score quickly. They understand the basics of the T20 game and that helps them in developing their skills from a young age. I hope my team gets to come here and play every year,” coach Sanjay said. His team ended up being the runners-up in the final this year. 

The quality of cricket seen spread across Chandigarh during the National Finals this year was quite amazing to witness. There were matches at the Sector 16 stadium along with the Mullanpur Stadium, with the new ground being built just slightly outside Chandigarh, which would be deemed for international matches. The iconic IS Bindra PCA Stadium in Mohali hosted the semi-finals and final.

The point is, this tournament in no way wants to be left behind. The brand doesn’t see it as just a customary thing every year. It is all about bringing the best against the best and making sure that talent meets opportunity under the shade of facilities provided by them. 

The facilities provided by Red Bull to these players are by no means mediocre. They get to live the life which they expect as cricketers. They get opportunities to wear colour jerseys, which often is missing at the university level. Raj Narain, the coach of SS Jain Subodh College Jaipur noted that his players feel a different kind of pride each time they don their team’s jersey. 

Also, the final was played under floodlights at Mohali where ICC’s elite umpire Anil Chaudhary stood in the middle. The players also get to play with the white-ball on international standard grounds where they can show their true potential. Coach Nidhuvan of Jain College Bangalore talks about the time when KL Rahul showed his hitting range during the finals round many years back at the RBCC. 

“When Rahul, Mayank (Agarwal) and Karun (Nair) were in our college team, Rahul was considered as a first-class player. He smashed a hundred at this tournament from around 45 balls. This is before they called him a Test player and didn’t see him as a white-ball cricketer.

“I went back and told everyone in Bangalore what he had done, no one was believing me. They said I was talking about Karun or Mayank. But soon they found out that he could bat that way as well. I knew it because I had seen him in the nets but it was about bringing it on the ground,” coach Nidhu said. 

Final thoughts

And it is not just about having a tournament that gives an opportunity to university level players, it is also about creating a pathway to a bigger and better stage. The players have opportunities to get trials at the IPL franchises based on their performance here. In fact, Red Bull’s partnership with Rajasthan Royals allows the franchise to take a look at the tournament to spot the next KL Rahul or Ruturaj Gaikwad. Red Bull even launched a special talent scouting and development programme for fast-bowlers, named speedster, which deserves an article of its own. 

In all, the RBCC is not just a platform that provides crucial opportunities to young players. For many, it is just the boost that gives them a chance to position themselves as professional cricketers. Performing in their hometown and doing that in front of the national set-up is a hugely different experience.

It can be life-altering for a player. It can give them that extra kick of confidence to go back as better cricketers. Every player who has played in this tournament understands its value and wants to come back next year. Well, no one rejects a chance to get wings to fly away with an opportunity they wanted dearly for years. And, that is how Red Bull aims to stand true to their tagline, ‘…it gives you wings.’