Mumbai – The Asia Cup 2025 has kicked off with a major off-field development fantasy gaming platform Dream11 has backed out as Team India title sponsor. This sudden exit has once again triggered debates about the “curse” of India’s jersey sponsorships. Over the last two decades, every Team India title sponsor — from Sahara to Star, Oppo to Byju’s, and now Dream11 — has faced financial collapse, regulatory bans, or early exits.
With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) now preparing to float fresh bids for the coveted sponsorship slot, fans and analysts are asking one question: Is the role of Team India title sponsor a golden opportunity or a financial trap?
Rise and Fall of Team India Title Sponsors
Over the years, Team India title sponsor deals have symbolized not only prestige but also enormous brand visibility. Yet, history suggests that the deal comes with unexpected risks.
1. Sahara (2001–2013)
Sahara was India’s longest serving sponsor, holding the slot for 12 years. The group became synonymous with Indian cricket jerseys during its tenure. However, after 2013, the conglomerate collapsed under SEBI’s crackdown and legal battles, marking the beginning of a troubling pattern for Team India title sponsors.
2. Star India (2014–2017)
Star India, owned by 21st Century Fox and later acquired by Disney, stepped in as sponsor. The company gave Indian cricket global exposure but faced antitrust hurdles and corporate restructuring issues after Disney’s takeover. Their exit was sudden and linked more to strategic shifts than financial collapse, but it reinforced the short life span of sponsors.
3. Oppo (2017–2019)
Chinese smartphone giant Oppo signed a whopping ₹1,079 crore deal but pulled out early in 2019. Rising India–China geopolitical tensions and diminishing brand returns pushed the company to exit abruptly. Oppo transferred the rights to Byju’s, beginning another dramatic sponsorship chapter.
4. Byju’s (2019–2023)
Once India’s ed-tech unicorn, Byju’s spent heavily to become Team India title sponsor. However, the company defaulted on payments, faced regulatory scrutiny, and is now battling insolvency. Byju’s downfall became one of the biggest cautionary tales in the sponsorship history of Indian cricket.
5. Dream11 (2023–2025)
Fantasy gaming app Dream11 took over in 2023, riding the popularity of online gaming. However, regulatory restrictions on real-money gaming in India have forced the company to back out in 2025. Its exit confirms the worrying trend: Team India title sponsors rarely survive long-term.
Why Do Team India Title Sponsors Struggle?
Several factors contribute to the repeated troubles of Team India title sponsors:
- Overvaluation of Deals: Sponsorship contracts often run into hundreds of crores. For some brands, the costs outweigh the benefits.
- Regulatory Pressure: Companies like Sahara, Byju’s, and Dream11 have all faced government scrutiny or legal hurdles.
- Market Volatility: Rapid industry changes, such as the smartphone war for Oppo or ed-tech collapse for Byju’s, hit sponsors hard.
- High Expectations: The prestige of being a Team India title sponsor comes with intense media attention, leaving little room for financial missteps.
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Who Will Be the Next Team India Title Sponsor?
With Dream11 gone, BCCI is expected to announce a fresh bidding process soon. Potential contenders could include:
Tech giants like Amazon or Google India, seeking unmatched brand exposure.
Fintech players such as Paytm or PhonePe, already active in cricket sponsorships.
Indian conglomerates like Reliance’s Jio or Tata Group, which have the financial muscle to sustain long-term deals.
Is the Sponsorship Cursed?
While some fans joke that the sponsorship seems “cursed,” analysts argue that it’s more about timing. Indian cricket offers massive visibility, but the industries backing the sponsorship real estate, broadcasting, smartphones, ed-tech, and fantasy gaming were already facing disruptive challenges. Being the Team India title sponsor may have simply amplified the pressure.
Conclusion
The exit of Dream11 just before the Asia Cup 2025 is a reminder of how volatile the sponsorship slot has become. Despite the risks, the Team India title sponsor position remains one of the most prestigious deals in global sports. The upcoming bidding war will reveal which company is bold enough to take the plunge.
Whether it turns into a golden ticket or a financial downfall will depend not just on cricket but also on the resilience of the next sponsor’s industry.
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