IPL GC yet to happen, BCCI unlikely to sever ties if 'exit clause' favours VIVO

BCCI is unlikely to sever ties with IPL title sponsors VIVO if "exit clause" favours Chinese mobile phone company, a senior BCCI official said on Wednesday but did t reveal when event's much-hyped governing council meeting to review this will be held. After violent June 15 clash in eastern Ladakh, central government has banned 59 apps from China including controversial Tik ToK. Soon after June 15 incident, BCCI had stated that re would be a review of IPL sponsors.

IPL GC yet to happen

"We still don't kw about fate of T20 World Cup, Asia Cup, so how can we just have a meeting? Yes, we need to discuss sponsorship but we never used word cancel or terminate," a senior BCCI official, who also sits in IPL GC meetings, told PTI on conditions of anymity. 

"We said we will review sponsorship. Review means that we need to check all modalities of contract. If 'Exit Clause' favours VIVO more, why should we terminate a Rs 440 crore per year contract. We will only terminate if 'Exit Clause' favours us," he added.

It is learnt, some BCCI officials are of view that unless VIVO backs out on its own in prevailing circumstances, board should hour remainder of contract, which ends in 2022. Sudden termination of contract could mean that BCCI may have to cough up substantial compensation. Also, re is guarantee that BCCI will get a short-time matcher in such an ecomically hostile environment.

However, likes of PayTM (with Alibaba as investor) or Dream XI, BYJUs and SWIGGY, who have investment from Chinese video game company Tencent, might t have to worry as y are Indian entities. "Taking te of border skirmish that resulted in martyrdom of our brave jawans, IPL Governing Council has convened a meeting next week to review IPL's various sponsorship deals," official IPL twitter handle had stated on Friday, June 19. However, after nearly two weeks, a meeting has t been scheduled and more importantly, at least two GC members confirmed to PTI that y have t been told anything.

"I have called IPL chairman (Brijesh Patel) and CEO (Rahul Johri) after I saw tweet. But till date, I haven't been intimated about any meeting. Possibly, y want to have a big meeting once T20 World Cup is officially postponed," one of veteran GC members said.

Im credits: PTI