Apollo Tyres Takes Over as Lead Sponsor of Team India
Apollo Tyres Takes Over as Lead Sponsor of Team India
India’s cricket board, the BCCI, has announced that Apollo Tyres will become the new lead sponsor of both the men’s and women’s national teams, replacing Dream11. The deal—which runs until March 2028—marks a significant jump in sponsorship value, and underscores the changing landscape of Indian cricket sponsorship following new regulations around real-money gaming and online betting.
In August 2025, the Indian government passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, which effectively banned real-money online gaming. Since Dream11’s core business is fantasy sports involving real money, they exited their contract with BCCI.
The BCCI then floated tenders to find a replacement sponsor. Apollo Tyres won out, offering a much higher value than what Dream11 had been paying.
The sponsorship agreement between the BCCI and Apollo Tyres will run for about two and a half years, lasting until March 2028. Valued at approximately Rs 579 crore (around US$65.7 million), the deal marks one of the most lucrative sponsorship contracts in Indian cricket history. Apollo will reportedly pay about Rs 4.5 crore per international match played outside ICC tournaments, ensuring a substantial revenue boost for the board. Under the agreement, Apollo’s logo will appear prominently on the front of the Indian men’s and women’s national team jerseys across all formats—Tests, ODIs, and T20Is—covering matches beyond just ICC events and giving the brand unparalleled visibility on the global cricket stage.
What It Means for BCCI and Cricket in India
The Rs 579 crore deal is not just a replacement—it’s a hand-over to a higher value contract. The BCCI clearly saw an opportunity: instead of taking less or stagnating, they replaced Dream11 with a partner offering more. This strengthens the financial base of the board and adds more stability.
The change underlines how government regulation—especially around online gaming—can ripple into sports sponsorship. Dream11’s exit wasn’t voluntary; it was driven by changing laws. Now, BCCI is more conscious about the nature of sponsoring entities, with restrictions on gaming, crypto, etc., in the tender process.
Brand Alignment & Visibility
Apollo Tyres stepping into this role sends signals:
The company is betting on associating with a national icon: Indian cricket, for both genders, across formats.
They are investing in long-term visibility: leading edge branding on jerseys, exposure during non-ICC as well as ICC events, and likely other marketing tie-ups.
From BCCI’s side, it is choosing a brand with strong existing reputation and wide reach. The trust factor was emphasized in statements.
Dream11’s previous deal (2023–2026) was for ~US$ 44 million (≈ Rs 358 crore).
Apollo’s deal pushes this significantly upward to Rs 579 crore. That’s a leap in sponsor value.
Per-match revenue rises too, outside ICC events, to Rs 4.5 crore.
For Other Brands & Sponsors
With BCCI tightening criteria (no gaming, betting, crypto etc.), traditional brands and large corporates now have more opportunity. E.g., Apollo beat out other bidders like Canva and JK Cement.
Visually, new kits will carry Apollo’s branding soon. Fans will notice the change in upcoming matches.
Players may feel the impact indirectly—higher sponsorship income could mean better contracts, better facilities, more commercial stability.
For Cricket’s Commercial Ecosystem
This sets a benchmark for future sponsorships. Any non-gaming brand now sees that getting into India cricket at this level requires serious money but also serious brand credibility.
It could also raise the floor of what BCCI expects in future deals and may lead to more competitive bidding.
How Apollo Tyres will leverage their sponsorship (merchandise, ads, digital content). Will they run fan campaigns, tie-ups, etc.?
The upcoming matches—especially those outside ICC tournaments—will start showing the branding changes. Observe how quickly the visual transition happens.
Whether other companies previously interested but excluded due to eligibility criteria rethink their strategies for future cycles.
Impact on Dream11 and similar platforms: are there legal or reputational repercussions following their forced exit?
Apollo Tyres stepping in marks a turning point—not just a corporate change, but a reflection of how regulation, branding, and the value of sport intertwine in modern cricket. Indian cricket has long been more than a game; it is a national brand. With this deal, the future of what that brand can command seems larger than ever.
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