IPL 2018: Star Sports set to get a new broadcast sponsor

The Indian Premier League (IPL) season 11 is fast approaching. The excitement for the league is surmounting as the mega-auction scheduled to be held at the end of this week. With all the big players from around the world involved in the auction, the fans are fancying their favourite franchises’ picks and though the tournament will kick off in April, the cricketing world is already talking about the IPL.

This season also has a new broadcaster. Star India bagged the broadcast rights for television and digital media for over Rs. 16,000 crore deal for the next five years. They have already started taking some unique initiatives to build up the excitement. The player retention event was broadcast for the first time. Virtual Reality is set to make its debut in this year’s IPL.

Polycab, the first to ink the pact

Indian electrical equipment and cable brand Polycab may become the first company to close broadcast sponsorship deal for the IPL 11. Also, it is learnt that Star completed the negotiation for the IPL on-air sponsorship in the associate broadcast sponsor category; as reported by insidesport.co.

Although an official announcement is yet to be made on the matter, reports suggest that the deal was closed between Rs 70-80 crores for a year. Also, this will be the second successive year that Polycab will have a brand association with the IPL.

Polycab is one of India’s leading electrical equipment and wire companies with a turnover of over INR 5,750 crore. The four-decade-old brand has acquired the reputation of India’s fastest growing electrical company. It had also been in headlines with its 11 brand promotion TVCs.

Star Sports has made a joint pinch for inventories for its seven IPL broadcast channels and Hotstar. For the first time, IPL will be live in six regional languages. They are doing this to reach out to a greater audience. Star Sports is expected to reveal names of the broadcast sponsors for the tournament during the auctions this Saturday and Sunday.