BCCI sponsorship jinx: How brands on Team India's jersey have faced trouble over years

Published - 22 Aug 2025, 16:49 IST | Updated - 22 Aug 2025, 18:38 IST

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has joined hands with some immensely profitable companies over the years. This isn't something unnatural as associating with the Indian Cricket Team gives companies massive leverage, through surreal brand exposure to a huge audience, fostering strong brand awareness and trust among consumers, particularly youth.

Brands look to use the Indian team's established trust factor to build their own credibility and reputation. The enormous reach and engagement opportunities lead to a commendable return on investment (ROI) for brands. However, quite strangely, all of India's jersey sponsors have landed in hot waters after their association with the Indian team, with Dream11, the current jersey sponsor, being the latest casualty.

Notably, the Parliament of India has passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which is set to impose a blanket ban online games involving real money. Needless to say, fantasy sports platforms like Dream11 will be hit the hardest with the move and will have to shut down real-money and transaction-based operations as soon as the legislation is enacted.

For over a decade, Sahara’s logo was imprinted on the Indian cricket jersey. It was there during the 2003 World Cup final heartbreak and went on the path of redemption in unison with the Indian team that achieved glory in 2011. However, after raising about INR 24,000 crore from 30 million investors, the group faced SEBI action for regulatory violations. The Supreme Court ordered deposits, but non-compliance led to Subrata Roy’s (founder of Sahara India Pariwar) arrest in 2014. Even after his demise in 2023, efforts to recover funds for investors are ongoing.