The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) governing body has issued a request for quotation (RFQ) regarding partnership rights for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) franchise Twenty20 competition.
The BCCI is inviting bids from “reputed entities”, with detailed terms and conditions of the tender process included in the RFQ, which will be made available on receipt of payment of a non-refundable fee of INR100,000 ($1,201).
Interested parties can purchase the RFQ until January 19 and the BCCI clarified that buying the RFQ does not entitle any company to bid.
The governing body has not opened the process to companies from all sectors - the prohibited brand categories are alcohol products, betting, cryptocurrency, real money gaming, fantasy sports gaming, tobacco, passenger vehicles, beverages, tires, financial services and banking, and entities that “are likely to offend public morals.”
The inaugural edition of the WPL, the female version of the men’s Indian Premier League (IPL), took place in March last year with the Mumbai Indians winning the title.
Indian conglomerate Tata Group was named as the first title sponsor of the WPL under a five-year deal running through 2027. Tata is also the title sponsor of the IPL but its current contract will expire before this year’s edition.
The BCCI recently began a tender process to find a partner for the 2024-28 cycle. The five-season tender will be available for brands to purchase until January 8.
The highest bidder will not automatically secure the rights, as Tata has a ‘right to match’ clause in its contract with the league, meaning it could still trump any new bidder. The BCCI is obligated to inform Tata of the value of the highest bid, and the company then has five working days to inform the governing body whether it wishes to match that submission.
Tata has held these rights across the 2022 and 2023 editions of the IPL, with a deal between the two parties having been struck in January 2022.
The five WPL teams were sold for a combined $572 million last January. The Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and UP Warriorz are the other four franchises alongside the Indians.
The BCCI sold the tournament’s domestic media rights for five years to Viacom18, one of India’s leading entertainment networks, for $116 million ($23 million per year).
