Percept bags ground rights for Malaysian tri-series

Percept has acquired three tenders floated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) totalling about Rs 75 crore (around US$ 16 million).

The BCCI had invited tenders for the official provider of the Indian team's formal wear and accessories, the board's ratings and awards, and the ground rights for the tri-series against West Indies and Australia in Kuala Lumpur next month, and the marketing company bagged the rights in all three areas.

The tender for the ratings and awards was bagged at an overall price of US$ 6.41 million (approx. Rs 30 crore) spread over a period of five years and the company will be announcing its partner for this venture shortly, a BCCI press release said today.

According to the deal, Percept would create, conceptualise and manage the ratings, meant for first class cricketers, in consultation with BCCI. Percept also assisted Pantaloons to bag the rights for the formal wear and accessories at a deal that is pegged around US$ 4.29 million (approx. Rs 20 crore) for over four years.

Pantaloons would have the rights to provide the garments and market them as the official team clothing for five years and will cover the Under-19 and women's cricket teams as well. There were no other bidders for these two tenders.

PDM International, another Percept Group company, has also bagged the exclusive ground rights for the Malaysian tri-series, slated between September 12 to 24, for US$ 5.14 million (approx. Rs 24 crore). It beat five other bidders to bag the rights for the event.

The initial bid of US$ 4.15 by PDM was raised to US$ 5.14 million after news of cancellation of the bilateral series in Sri Lanka due to inclement weather. Less cricket has meant greater viewer interest for the forthcoming Malaysian tri-series, thereby also increasing its commercial value.

PDM had earlier bagged the sponsorship rights for the India-Pakistan one-day series held in Abu Dhabi in April.