BCCI to invite sponsorship bids for international matches

The Board for Control of Cricket in India will invite bids for sponsorship of one-day internationals, Tests and Twenty20 matches to be played in India between September 2007 and March 2010.

"The board will be inviting bids from individual companies, consortia and agencies all over the world for five tenders," said Lalit Modi, the BCCI vice-president. "It will open on August 13 and close by August 27."

The first tender would be for international ground rights and title naming rights for all ODIs and Test matches played in the country featuring India during the period.

"So far, these rights were held by Pepsi and Videocon for Rs 2 crore per match," Modi said. "Now, the reserved price will be Rs 3 crore per match for three years for about 50 matches, which will include both ODIs and Test matches."

The board will also invite bids for stadium ground rights and title naming rights for all international Twenty20 matches to be held in the country and for domestic matches as well, including the Ranji Trophy, Challenger Series, Duleep Trophy, Deodhar Trophy, Irani Trophy and the Premier Cup.

The board will also look for sponsors for umpires' clothing for domestic and international matches to be played by India A and India junior teams in the country.

Modi said companies can either bid for composite rights in each part or for only a part of it. Companies, consortia or agencies can also bid for all the parts and all the rights are based on live televised matches only. Bidders will have to pay the board a non-refundable amount of Rs 1 lakh per bid.