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Sahara Group will not renew Indian cricket team sponsorship deal
After pulling out its IPL franchise Pune Warriors India from the tournament, the Sahara Group on Tuesday said it was tempted to withdraw from the Indian cricket team's sponsorship as well, but refrained from doing so in the interest of the players.
Published: May 21, 2013, 07:50 PM (IST)
Edited: May 21, 2013, 07:50 PM (IST)
Sahara has been the team sponsor for more than 11 years © IANS
Mumbai: May 21, 2013
After pulling out its IPL franchise Pune Warriors India from the tournament, the Sahara Group on Tuesday said it was tempted to withdraw from the Indian cricket team’s sponsorship as well with immediate effect, but refrained from doing so in the interest of the players.
“There is a very strong urge in us to withdraw from the Indian cricket team sponsorship from today [May 21, 2013] only. But, interest of the players will suffer if we do so. We share an excellent relationship with the players and will not want such dedicated and good human beings who serve the country with commitment to get harmed financially due to unsporting attitude of BCCI,” the Group said in a statement on Tuesday.
“So we have given time to BCCI to get the new sponsorship in place from January 2014, as we will continue the national team’s sponsorship only up to December 2013 that’s the expiry date of the present agreement.”
Earlier in February 2012, Sahara had pulled out of the national team’s sponsorship over similar issues.
Sahara have been the team sponsor for 11 years, having signed a renewed agreement with the BCCI on July 1, 2010 till December 31, 2013.
Sahara was paying Rs 3.34 crore per Test match, One-Day International and Twenty20 International under the new terms, a report said.
“…after an 11-year journey as sponsors, we can say with surety that cricket has become very rich. Many rich people are there to support cricket with a strong will to do so. So, with absolute peace of mind we can exit from cricket under BCCI and are exiting with a heavy heart,” Sahara India said in a statement.
“It was an emotional decision for us to start this sponsorship but our emotions were never appreciated and many genuine situations were not given due consideration at all,” the statement read.
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(With inputs from PTI)